Jinchuriki of the Leaf
by ninjafan101
Summary: What if Naruto wasn't the only one with a burden to carry? Watch as he helps his fellow containers and as they strive to prove that they are the people they are and not the demons they carry. NaruHina SasuSaku ShikaIno NejiTen my regular couples
1. Demonic Revelation

**Jinchuriki of the Leaf Chap. 1**

He shot up, a cold sweat running down his cheek. His breathing was heavy, and his cerulean eyes were widened in shock. Never, in all his years of living, had he ever had a nightmare to such a degree. Thank goodness it was nothing more than a dream...

Suddenly, flashes of yesterday's fight ran through his mind. He remembered everything that had occurred, including the deaths of both Haku and Zabuza. While it saddened him that he had lost someone he could've called 'friend,' he was joyful over the fact that Sasuke had ultimately been spared from death's cold grip.

He couldn't help but feel afraid of the dark powers he had tapped into to. Were they from that damned fox, or were they...something else? This question was fresh in his mind when the door opened, revealing his silver haired sensei, Hatake Kakashi. He wore the standard uniform for Jonin in Konoha, but he wore his headband around his left eye like an eye patch, and a mask covered the rest of his face save for his right eye.

"Naruto, are you okay after what happened yesterday?" he asked, generally concerned for his student. He knew very well that the Kyuubi's powers had manifested themselves during the battle the previous day, and feared the seal had weakened. However, judging from Naruto's expression of confusion, he highly doubted that the fox tried to escape yesterday. Chances were it gave Naruto that power to save its own hide.

"Kakashi-sensei...what was that thing?" he asked, fear slightly evident in his tone. The older Jonin sighed as he sealed the door behind him. Confused, Naruto watched as he sealed the windows as well. Whatever he was about to share was something that was not meant to leave the confines of this room.

Kakashi sat down next to the young blonde Genin, knowing that the legend he was about to recite would probably turn his pupil's world upside down. For better or worse has yet to be determined, but it was something that needed to be done.

"Long ago, Naruto, a prophecy had been foretold of certain...events that I believe may be an answer to your inquiry." he replied to his student's earlier question. His attention was suddenly focused on nothing but the man next to him. What prophecy would involve him, the container of the demonic Kyuubi no Kitsune, the proclaimed 'dead-last' of his graduating class, and an all around nuisance to society?

Kakashi noted the boy's eagerness to learn and once again found himself sighed mentally. Save for Iruka, those bastards at the Academy had really screwed the poor boy over. Maybe they thought that a lack of knowledge on the battlefield would mean Naruto's demise. Shoving that thought in the back of his mind for the Hokage later, he began to retell the prophecy to the young boy.

_'A red rose stands alone in the field, its color deeper than all others._

_It is mocked for its difference, seen as something dark and evil._

_But it still stands._

_Others respect its majesty and grace and stand with it as equals._

_A snake slithers towards them, with false promises of power and strength._

_However, the thorns of each rose keep it away._

_A hawk, protector of the field and all in it, kills the snake._

_And they still stand._

_A red cloud looms overhead, turning all in the field to dust under its shadow. Even the hawk is fearful of its presence. But the roses still stand._

_The cloud soon turns black, and the hawk is driven away. But the roses still stand tall, facing against the black mist that surrounds them. They draw on the fate of those left in the field, staring down the black cloud, never wavering, waiting for their miracle.'_

Naruto stood in silent shock at this prophetic revelation. What did that prophecy mean? Who were the roses, the snake, the hawk and this mysterious cloud? And why did this seem so familiar? However, before he could ruminate over the topic further, a stab of pain ran through his head. He had not yet fully recovered from using the Kyuubi's powers. He could feel himself blacking out...

Kakashi caught the young boy before he hit the cold floor below. He knew that the battle had taken its toll on the young shinobi-in-training, and allowed him to rest further. The boy was bound to be inquisitive about the prophetic events foretold, and he only hoped he had the right answers.

(That same day: Wave Village)

Sasuke and Sakura were both sitting outside, admiring the glimmering reflection of sunlight from the water's surface, adding to the natural beauty of the surroundings. This was one of the few times that Sasuke felt at peace with himself. After a successful, if not confusing, mission, it was nice to kick back and relax before they headed home.

The bridge project would not be completed for another five days, but now that Gato and his thugs were no longer a worry, many more volunteers had agreed to help. They themselves had offered their services, but they were refused, with Tazuna saying that they have already done enough and to take the time to relax, which is exactly what they were doing.

However, one thought would not leave Sakura's mind, no matter how hard she attempted to erase it. That dark, almost evil, presence she had felt during yesterday's battle was still plaguing her mind. She was terrified of it, as would any natural human being, but that's not the reason why she couldn't shake it from her thoughts.

It was the familiarity of it.

That power was something she thought she had come into contact with before. She didn't know where or when she had experienced that power before, but something deep inside her knew it very well. Too bad that something was unwilling to share what it knew, otherwise she might not be racking her brains out trying to figure out what the hell it was.

Sasuke had been unconscious for part of the match, but that part seemed to be the most eventful. With the deaths of Zabuza and Haku, not to mention the lingering remnants of a dark power that had without a doubt been used, he knew he had missed out on something very exciting. Or something incredibly unbelievable. Either way, it sucked not knowing, but he knew that he would just end up forgetting about it as time went on.

If only he knew how wrong he was...

(Current Day: Tsunami's House)

Naruto felt himself returning to the conscious world, still in a daze from what he had been told. It still confused him very much, something that seemed to be a theme today. As he sat up, he noticed that his sensei had hardly moved from his previous position.

"How long was I out?" he managed to ask. His sensei shrugged.

"I'd say about fifteen minutes to a half-hour." he replied. His sensei's lax attitude was really beginning to annoy him, but he suppressed the urge to hit him in order to attain the answers he so desired.

"What does that prophecy have to do with me?" he asked. Kakashi knew that this was coming, and silently prayed for Kami-sama to have mercy on this poor child.

"I'm not going to sugarcoat it, or try to avoid the subject. Instead, I'll just take the direct approach. Naruto...you are not the only person in Konoha with a demon sealed inside them." he said seriously. A whirlwind of emotions build up inside the young Genin. He didn't know how to feel, which emotion was the right one to display. The most appealing one at the moment, though, was shock.

Kakashi wasn't surprised by the mixture of emotions behind Naruto's eyes. He probably wouldn't have faired much better if he was in his position. However, he knew he must continue, despite the reactions of his pupil.

"I can't say I know all of the details. You know the legend of the Nine Beasts, I assume?" he asked. Naruto could only weakly nod. He knew very well about the Nine Beasts who, along with the Six Great Spirits, made up the feared Bijuu. They were the most powerful beings in existence on the human plane, and each was capable of destroying a village in under an hour with little to no effort whatsoever. Kyuubi, the one sealed within him, was the most powerful of these beings. And the most feared.

"As the legend goes, the Bijuu fought each other long ago for supremacy in their world. However, once the Great Shinobi Wars began, humans began thinking of ways to use their massive power to win the war for themselves. One by one, the Bijuu were captured and sealed away into catalysts known as Jinchuriki.

However, out of fear, people tended to shun these chosen people as monsters and beasts to be reviled and hated, their own selfishness being punished. It is only through severe misfortune that the Jinchuriki were made to suffer as well." Kakashi explained. Naruto's solemn expression was a personification of his own inner turmoil at this news. Did the Fourth Hokage truly intend for him to be a weapon, or was he meant to save the village? He didn't know what to believe anymore.

The silver haired Jonin had to admit, it was odd to see his student bereft of his normal happiness and spunk. He knew that it must be difficult coping with the fact that your existence may have meant nothing more than an utilitarian tool for winning wars. Using a mere child as a weapon...Just the idea of it made him want to start bashing heads in. Alas, he had no say in such matters, and he only discovered this information by accidentally listening in on a conversation between the Hokage and the elders. He knew exactly what Naruto's next question would be and was prepared to answer it.

"Do...do you know who they are?" Naruto asked. He prayed to any God, spirit, deity or holy figure that would end his loneliness and reveal to him at least one of the others cursed with a demon. Sadly, Kakashi shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Naruto, but I'm afraid I don't know who they are exactly. All I know is that the majority of them reside in Konoha." he replied. The expression the young Genin had exhibited had not been one he was expecting. Instead of the downtrodden reaction he was expecting, Naruto held nothing less than a fierce determination and a fervid hope in his features.

"Then I guess I'll be able to add quite a few names to my list of precious people soon, huh?" he asked innocently, flashing his foxy smile. Such a reaction positively stunned Kakashi into silence. He knew he had to have the most optimistic of all optimists in his presence. With a smile behind his masked features, he leaned down next to him.

"If there's ever a time you need help with that, let me know. I'm your sensei for a reason." he said. Naruto nodded enthusiastically. What started as a roller coaster of emotions quickly turned into the happiest day of his life. He was no longer alone in the world. Not anymore.

(A few days later: The Great Naruto Bridge)

Sasuke and Sakura were generally concerned for their teammate's wellbeing. Not only was he more calm and composed, but he wasn't constantly asking her for a date! There was something very, very wrong with this situation.

They were tempted to ask Naruto about his sudden attitude change, but decided not to. It would be completely and utterly awkward for both parties. Kakashi, however, welcomed the change with open arms. He figured it was Naruto's true personality – unmasked for the world to see. He also guessed that the sudden personality change was in preparation to meet the other Jinchuriki.

Naruto knew that the other members of his team were slightly disturbed by his personality 'change' – if you could call it that. In truth, he had always masked his true personality in favor of the attention-grabbing energetic knucklehead that he was famous for. When you've been alone for the majority of your life, you tend to do these kinds of things.

He couldn't wait to return to the village. So much had happened that he couldn't wait to share with Iruka-sensei and Jiji. He also wanted to start searching for the remaining Jinchuriki, whoever they were. No doubt he was going to have to ask the Hokage about it. Of course he knew about it! He's the gosh darned Hokage!

He wondered how many people outside himself, the Hokage, Kakashi and the two elders knew of this situation. Surely, something like this would be highly classified information, only shared with those deemed trustworthy enough to keep it classified. That's when his stomach decided to let itself be known, a low rumbled sound audible from his gullet. Thankfully, no one else heard it. Or cared.

Perhaps the Hokage could wait until after he paid Ichiraku a visit...

(Later: Konoha Gates)

The sight of the gates to their beloved village was a welcome sign of relief for the exhausted members of Team 7. For Naruto, however, it was a sign of a brand new beginning waiting just over the horizon.

"C'mon you guys, let's get moving!" he said excitedly. Evidently, the energetic aspect of his personality wasn't just for show. He was more anxious to do three certain things: One, meet Iruka and tell him anything and everything about the mission. Two, see the Sandaime Hokage about the remaining Jinchuriki and tell him anything and everything about the mission. And three, have something to eat at Ichiraku Ramen and tell Teuchi and Ayame anything and everything about the mission.

His teammates were gawking at the boy's vitality. As he showed during the mission, he could take enough punishment to kill ten people and still have enough energy to not only kick the bastard's ass who did it, but still gloat after words! He was definitely stronger than they had previously thought.

_'But I'm still way stronger.'_ Sasuke thought.

_'But Sasuke-kun is still way stronger.'_ Sakura thought.

Naruto, oblivious to the thoughts of his teammates, was practically overjoyed at reentering the village gates. An irony considering how much crap he had to put up with. He could notice the guards' disapproval of his appearance, probably hoping the boy would've perished on the mission. However, he was in too chipper a mood to really care. The world could've gone to hell in a handbag and he wouldn't give a damn. Kakashi interrupted his student's joyous prancing by clearing his throat to speak.

"Well, the team is dismissed for some well deserved rest. We probably won't receive missions for a day or two, so please take this time to reflect on this mission and try to learn something from it. It was your first times out of the village on a mission, so it would be best to identify mistakes made early on as to avoid them in the future. I will go and deliver the mission report to Hokage-sama, and I'll see you all bright and early tomorrow morning for training." he said in a lecturing tone. Typical Kakashi. Leaving it up to the students to self-teach themselves.

However, the diversion was just enough for him to talk to Naruto uninterrupted. As the other two Genin of Team 7 took those words to heart, he passed by him so no one would hear him.

"Meet me at Hokage-sama's mansion after you unpack. You and I know what must be discussed." he said, in barely over a whisper. Naruto nodded in understanding, knowing the circumstances of the meeting. It was something he was both expecting and dreading.

While he was overjoyed at the news that he was no longer alone, he was deeply saddened by the fact that others did indeed share his curse. His burden. No one deserved the hell such power came with. Sure, he had the power of a natural disaster at his fingertips, but in retrospect of the consequences of attaining/holding that power, was it worth it in the end? Only time will tell, he supposed. For now, he settled with the task at hand: how to unpack his ungodly bulbous backpack of its content without killing anyone.

(Later: Uchiha Compound)

Sasuke was currently racking his brain over the strange changes in his teammate's attitude after the battle on the bridge. Was it because of death's ardent presence? No, that wasn't it. He hadn't shown signs of depression of any kind, so that was crossed off the list. Maybe it was the fact it was his first official mission...

He shrugged to himself, but something was still bothering him. And it didn't involve Naruto. A strange feeling of nostalgia wouldn't leave him be no matter how hard he attempted to erase it. On the contrary, it seemed to strength the more he tried to forget it, almost as if it needed to be known without contradiction or questioning. Again, something that confused him relentlessly.

Being the intelligent young man he was, he decided that a quick look into his family archives may yield answers to these numerous inquiries.

(Current Day: Haruno Household)

Much like her crush, Sakura was also mulling over recent events, especially that dark chakra she sensed. She never imagined such a fearsome power could exist in this world, let alone appear at that bridge of all places. What truly frightened her, though, was the fact that it felt so familiar. It was though she had spent all her past life and all of this life around such power that it was second nature. Maybe it had something to do with her teammate's sudden personality change.

Naruto...Was it possible that he was the one using that dark power? At this point in time, she didn't discount such a possibility. A shinobi should always look underneath the underneath. Maybe it was a Kekkei Genkai of some kind, or a clan secret jutsu? One thing was obvious to her, however.

Any answers she wanted, whether it was to her teammate's behavior or the dark chakra, they were to be found in the secret past of Uzumaki Naruto.

"But how do I do it?" she asked herself. The first thing that came to mind was to ask Sasuke for help. She didn't think that he would agree to it, but she had nothing to lose. Grabbing her ninja tools, she headed out to the Uchiha Compound, where she would undoubtedly meet her crush for what would be the mission that changed their lives forever.

(Concurrently: Sandaime Hokage's Office)

Sarutobi sighed to himself, his dreaded enemy on the desk in front of him. He hated paperwork with a purple passion. They were just paper in the end. What harm would they do? He eyed the portrait of his successor – and, sadly, his predecessor – with a solemn gaze. _'You would be so ashamed, Minato, if you only knew...'_ he thought.

He was awakened from his thoughts by a rapid panging on his office door. He knew of only one person who would have the audacity to be so casual with the Hokage.

"Please, come in, Naruto." he replied to the sound. The door opened a second later, revealing a concerned Hatake Kakashi and a very serious Uzumaki Naruto. Both expressions alerted the Hokage to the fact that something must've happened over the duration of the mission.

"Hokage-sama, we need to talk." the young boy said. Now, things were getting interesting.

(One explanation later)

Sarutobi couldn't help but exhale a sigh of deep regret. It had happened. No one knew when or where, but they knew it was going to happen eventually. Naruto had tapped into the Kyuubi's powers, just as Minato intended. How ironic would it be, he remembered the village hero write in his final letter, if the very demon the villagers reviled was the one who would eventually save them all from certain death. That was something that Naruto would not see until his fourteenth birthday, which was approaching quickly. Sarutobi truly awaited that day.

However, now was not the time for reminiscing. Now was the time for the truth of the past to come to light. Now was the time for Naruto to learn the true history of the Jinchuriki, and the true meaning of the prophecy. He knew his time in this world was short. Having grown as old as he had, he felt it in his soul that he would soon leave for the spirit's realm. The last thing he could do for this world – for all people – was to prepare its future protectors with the knowledge necessary to survive. If that meant telling all but the most confidential, then so be it.

"I understand. I have dreaded this day's forthcoming for as long as this old mind can remember. Naruto, I believe it is time for you to learn the truth." he said to the young boy. Naruto's excitement was barely contained, only manifesting itself as a smile on his face. His attention was on nothing other than the old Hokage as he told the stories behind his powers.

"As Kakashi told you, Jinchuriki were first considered during the Great Shinobi Wars, but even long before that they had existed. Though not as numerous or powerful, they were still feared by many. However, they were also respected, having been chosen above all others to wield the power of the spirits wisely.

As time went on, the Jinchuriki – and therefore the spirits themselves – came to be seen as nothing more than weapons to be used in times of war. Very rarely were they used for other purposes.

One mysterious man, famous for his abilities as a seer and medium, made the prophecy you had heard. Many were at first confused by his words, but it soon came to light as one Jinchuriki – a young boy no older than you are now – discovered the presence of dragon spirits in the land." he explained.

"Dragon spirits?" Naruto asked, interrupting the story. Why did he feel he had heard that term before?

"Ah, that's right. Any information on the dragon spirits is kept classified. I discuss them so often with others who know these secrets that I myself forget how lacking this knowledge is. They are just as they are called. They are spirits in the form of dragon creatures, each imbued with an elemental ability and a desire to protect nature from evil. They are holy embodiments of the forces of nature themselves, their power matched by few.

These spirits can be just as powerful as the Bijuu themselves, in terms of brute strength. However, the Bijuu far outclassed them in special abilities, chakra capacity and overall vulnerability. Nevertheless, many were captured and sealed away as well. It became mass chaos, where all villages were attempting to collect more of these demonic spirits than the others. This war became known as the Demonic War.

As for you, Naruto, yours is a story that stands out above the rest. You were never intended to become a weapon for the village. You were intended to become a savior for the village. With the Kyuubi, the most powerful of the demonic spirits, sealed within you, the Yondaime was confident that you would be able to protect the village that he would no longer be able to. However, the village shuns and demeans you, despite the fact that you only contain the beast, not the other way around." he said. He did not miss the relief in the boy's eyes. What a burden it must be, to not know your meaning in life. That pain was something that no person, especially a mere child, should experience.

Naruto's mind was processing the information given to him. It was so much to absorb in such a short time. There were so many things he wanted to ask about these spirits. Choosing which questions were the most important, he decided to take a leap of faith and ask.

"What happened to the dragon spirits sealed into humans?" he asked.

"Some believe that they passed themselves on into the newer generations as time passed. Even some Kekkei Genkai that exist today are believed to have been caused by a dragon spirit being sealed into someone along the bloodline." the Hokage replied. Whoever said that Naruto was unobservant should be called such themselves.

"Do the dragon spirits and Bijuu have some kind of relationship to one another? You mentioned before that the spirits and Bijuu are nearly equal in strength, save for some major differences." Naruto said. The boy absorbed information like a sponge, something most teachers and proctors would be overjoyed at having in a student. A shame they were too ignorant to exploit the good and only the bad.

"Very keen observation, Naruto. Yes, they have a relation of sorts. The Bijuu, while demonic in origin, are in essence the very existence of nature itself. The dragon spirits serve them as protectors and followers, akin to a personalized strike force. Each Bijuu had a number of spirits to assist them, and any Jinchuriki sealed with these spirits would normally become friends with the Jinchuriki holding the Bijuu they were sworn to protect." Sarutobi answered. He was pleased that this conversation was going as smoothly as it was. He would've expected Naruto to have gone into a berserk frenzy over such revelations, but here he was, sitting there quietly, absorbing the information given to him and asking questions as if it were a classroom.

Kakashi had to admit, he was impressed by the blonde's curiosity and thirst for knowledge. If the two were to switch positions, then he doubted he would be able to refrain from questioning himself. Such concepts were difficult to grasp, yet Naruto understood them with no qualms. There was definitely more to his young student than meets the eye.

Naruto knew he was on a roll. Why didn't he choose to pay attention in the academy? It was awesome knowing all the answers! Now, he wondered if anyone was sealed with his guardian spirits. What would it be like to finally meet someone like him...

Sarutobi noted the pleased expression on the blonde's face and could only attempt to guess at what was running through his mind. However, a flash of remembrance in his eyes surprised him enough for him to raise an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Who was that boy would first discovered the dragon spirits, and how did he do it?" he asked. That was a question he wasn't expecting, nor was Kakashi from the surprised look in the Jonin's single visible eye. How would Naruto react to the answer? They were about to find out...

"The boy who discovered the dragon spirits...his name was Namikaze Arashi, and he is your grandfather."

(Current Day: Uchiha Compound)

Sakura had no idea why she had even considered coming to Sasuke for help, but she knew of no one else who would be curious enough to assist her. She had knocked on the mansion door a good five minutes past, and still no answer. Chances were that Sasuke either wasn't home or was ignoring her...again.

However, to her surprise, the door opened slightly, revealing a single obsidian eye belonging to a certain raven haired Uchiha. He seemed annoyed by her presence.

"What do you want?" he asked, somewhat coldly. She inwardly flinched at his tone. It was so infuriating feeling weaker than your teammates – but it hurt even more when you knew it to be true. Mustering her courage and fortifying her convictions, she adopted a seriousness that mildly surprised the stoic Uchiha.

"You and I both know that there is something Naruto is keeping from us. However, we don't have any clues besides his weird personality change and that dark presence we felt back at the bridge. I propose we attempt a little espionage to discover exactly what he is hiding and put our minds at ease." she explained as convincingly as possible.

Sasuke ruminated over her proposal. She did bring up a few valid points, but did he really want to work with her of all people? A weak little kunoichi who doesn't even take being a shinobi seriously? He guessed it was better than nothing. Maybe she had some skills him didn't know about. That, and curiosity currently had the cat in a strangle hold. It was murder not knowing! Not that he would tell her that...

"Hn. I guess it wouldn't hurt to try." he admitted. Sakura commanded her heart to stay in her chest and not leap into her throat. He said yes! She probably would be hyperventilating if it wasn't for the fact that she was in public. _'Now, just to make this as romantic as possible! You know what they say, can't fight the moonlight!' _she thought. She mentally slapped herself for her fangirl-like outburst. _'No. I have to approach this as a mature, responsible kunoichi of Konoha. I cannot be the weak link and a burden for my team any longer._' she reminded herself.

When Sasuke returned from his preparations, he was admittedly surprised at his female teammate's resolve. She obviously was not her normally obsequious or boisterous self. Was she actually taking this seriously? Perhaps there was still hope for her after all. Following the young kunoichi, he was unknowing headed for the start of his destiny.

(Current Day: Hokage's Office)

Naruto's eyes were comparable to dinner plates as he digested this information. His grandfather was a Jinchuriki? Kakashi seemed to have not been aware of this fact either, as he didn't bother to conceal his shock. He _did_ have family. He wasn't just a nameless nobody anymore. Joyous tears flowed down his face, but he hurriedly wiped them away.

"Did...did you know my grandfather?" he asked cautiously. He knew he was probably treading on dangerous ground, but he wanted – no, _needed_ – to know.

Sarutobi nodded in response. He wondered if he should tell him everything about how his grandfather became a Jinchuriki in the first place, but decided against it. In due time, he would learn of it on his own.

"Arashi-san was a very amiable and quixotic young boy. He always put the welfare of others above his own. An altruist from birth, one might say. When he discovered that he was indeed a Jinchuriki, he refused to succumb to the morose emotions he felt and decided to change the world for the better, like you have. You are both very similar, its uncanny." the older man remarked. Naruto felt a pang of pride at such a comparison.

"I would like to tell you more, but I am afraid of eavesdroppers listening in. There is one last thing I must tell you, however. As time goes on and you befriend more Jinchuriki, you must remember that you are all as one. Alone, you may be defeated, but together you cannot be stopped. The prophecy states that the roses in the field band together against the dark mist around them. Those roses are you and your fellow Jinchuriki, but that is the only thing we have been able to discern of its meaning. Now, please, go home and rest after your long mission. You deserve it." the Hokage said, ending the conversation with the blonde.

Naruto stood up and bowed respectfully to the elder Hokage, surprising both adults in the room. He made sure to keep the tears from his eyes as he turned to leave.

"Thank you, Hokage-sama. We'll have to continue this talk one day. I would like to hear more about my family's history, if it would please you." he said, almost sagely. Sarutobi knew that he being this respectful towards him was a show of appreciation for telling him what he did.

"I look forward to it." he replied. The blonde smiled warmly before leaving the office. Kakashi looked at his village leader and smirked behind his mask.

"Quite a surprise to see him act so formal isn't it?" he asked.

"Indeed. But, this was an important moment in his life. He knew he couldn't mess it up by being too anxious or hasty." the Hokage replied.

"He certainty is Konoha's number one most unpredictable shinobi." the Jonin mused, with the Hokage in silent agreement.

(A few minutes later: Naruto's Apartment)

Naruto entered his old apartment, closing the door behind him and carelessly tossing the keys onto his counter. They landed with a loud clank against the wooden surface.

The information that was revealed to him circled around in his mind as he sat down on his couch. A good portion of the Bijuu's Jinchuriki were in Konoha, he remembered being told. _'I guess I know where to start.'_ he thought.

However, as he was preparing to leave once more, he thought of something. Exactly how was he supposed to find them? Just go up and say "Hi, I'm Naruto the container for the Kyuubi, and I wanted to know if you had a spirit sealed in you too?"

He had no way of identifying a Jinchuriki with dormant powers. With a sigh of frustration, he decided it would be best to go get some ramen with Iruka and think about it later. Besides, it was getting close to nightfall, and he was still starving. He hoped that Teuchi still had a lot of ramen left...

(A few minutes later)

Sasuke and Sakura arrived at Naruto's apartment. He was not at home, since they had just missed him.

"Damn, he's not here." Sakura said in disappointment. However, upon grabbing the door handle, she found to her surprise the door to be unlocked. Naruto must've left in a hurry and forgot to lock the door.

"I guess he's not as smart as he thinks he is." she mused as she pushed the door gently open. The blonde's apartment was surprisingly neat and organized, but it didn't seem that he had much company over often.

"What do you expect to find here?" Sasuke asked.

"I'm not finding anything. If you use your Sharingan to scan the chakra in his apartment, you may be able to see the smallest hint of the dark chakra we sensed back at the bridge. That would only prove that Naruto is somehow connected to it." she explained. He was slightly surprised she had come up with such an idea. He nodded in agreement and closed his obsidian eyes, focusing his chakra to his eyes. When he reopened them, they were the crimson orbs of the Sharingan.

What he saw shocked him to the core.

Red and blue chakra were present, both freely moving about the room. However, the chakra itself didn't surprise him. It was the fact that they were mixing.

The two chakra types constantly combined with one another, with neither overpowering the other. This, in turn, created a flux of excess chakra. If this was the situation inside Naruto's chakra coils, then it was possible that the boy had unlimited chakra at his disposal.

"Incredible..." he muttered. Sakura noted the surprise etched on the Uchiha's face. He must've found something.

"Sasuke-kun, what do you see?" she asked.

"You were right. There are two types of chakra here. However, they're merging with one another, therefore creating a chakra flux that increases the amount of chakra overall." he explained. Her eyes widened in surprise.

"Then that means..." she trailed off, not sure of how it was fathomable to have such power at your fingertips.

"There is definitely something strange going on here..." Sasuke said aloud. _'And I'm going to find out what.'_ he thought.

(Current Day: Ichiraku Ramen)

Teuchi heard the moving of fabric and knew he had a customer entering his stand. With a turn of his head, he saw his number one customer sitting in his regular spot, with a large grin on his face. He couldn't help but smile.

"Ah, Naruto! Good to see you! How did your mission go?" he asked.

"It was awesome! I can't wait to tell you and Ayame-nee-chan all about it!" the young boy said excitedly.

After a long retelling of the events of his mission, leaving out the parts where the Bijuu were involved, he ordered his food and happily ate it. He was currently downing his third bowl when he felt a familiar presence. Without even turning around, he smiled in happiness.

"Hey Iruka-sensei!" he exclaimed, catching the unsuspecting Chunin off guard. He hated it when his student did that. Those vast chakra sensory capabilities of his were often very vexing for him. He was absolutely positive that Naruto _allowed_ him to catch him whenever he did something wrong.

"Hey Naruto. How did your first mission turn out?" he asked. Naruto proceeded to explain everything (save for the aforementioned) about the mission and how badly he kicked ass.

Iruka had to admit, despite the obvious gloating, he was impressed with his ex-student's progress in such a short time. While going into that barrier without a prior plan was indeed a tad idiotic, it was amazing that he was able to come away with the victory.

"That's great Naruto. I'm glad to hear that your mission was a successful one." he said in a congratulatory tone. The young blonde smiled happily at the comment. Then, he took notice to the current time and winced.

"Aw man, I've gotta go. Sorry Iruka-sensei, but I promised someone I would train with them tonight and I'm gonna be late if I stay much longer." he said to Iruka. He turned to Teuchi and put his payment on the counter.

"Here's what I owe for the food! Thanks again, I'll see you tomorrow!" he said as he rushed past the fabric coating the store's entrance. Iruka wanted to call out to him, but decided against it. If he made a promise to someone, then who was he to stop him?

(Current Day: Naruto's Apartment)

Sasuke and Sakura had finished examining every little detail of their teammate's apartment (purposely avoiding his laundry for obvious reasons), but had found nothing more to enforce their claim.

"At least we know that Naruto and the dark chakra are related somehow." Sakura said, trying to remain optimistic.

"Aw dammit, where'd I leave my key?" a voice sounded from outside. Both of them froze in surprise. Naruto had returned earlier than expected. If he caught them there, then all hell would break loose.

Sasuke looked at the window, which was opened for ventilation. He tapped Sakura's shoulder and directed her attention to it. She nodded in response. Quickly and quietly, they both jumped out the window, landing in the tree branches outside. Now safe from detection, they enhanced their hearing with chakra into order to eavesdrop on the blonde.

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Naruto dug deeper into his pockets, searching for his elusive key. With a sigh, he decided against the search. He gripped the knob and as he turned it he found, to his surprise, the door opening in response. He mentally cursed his stupidity and prayed that his apartment wasn't like a ground zero.

Thankfully, everything was intact. A sigh of relief escaped his lips as he untied his headband from his forehead, letting several strands of his hair fall in its place. He took off his orange coat, revealing a black short-sleeved undershirt, and set it on the coat rack in the corner of the room.

He thought it best to change into his night clothes, knowing that it would probably be a long night. He remembered the "promise" he had made earlier with the Kyuubi.

(Earlier: Unknown Location)

Naruto's eyes slowly opened, his body heavy and mind misty. He rose from his position, clutching his head as he did so.

"Ah...did anyone get the name of that Akimichi who hit me?" he asked no one, his voice echoing off the walls. Wait a minute? Echo? Last time he checked, his apartment didn't echo.

He jumped to his feet, instantly putting his guard up in case of an enemy assault. What he saw astounded him. Walls made of sparkling marble surrounded him, red draperies wrapping themselves around the frame of the room. The entire area was designed almost like a royal palace. However, the thing that confused him was the mirror like quality of the floor. He could clearly see his reflection in the crystal flooring, his own shock evident to him.

"_**Naruto..."**_

He froze, the hairs on the nape of his neck standing on end. A chill passed through his body as he turned around, yet no one was there. He could feel himself becoming nervous. Ghosts and the supernatural had never been his forte. Maybe it was because the Kyuubi was sealed inside him? Nonetheless, he knew he needed to know who – or what – that voice was, and how they knew him.

"Who said that? Come out here and show yourself!" he said, fortifying his courage and masking his own insecurities against the voice.

"_**Follow the silver path and you shall find me..."**_ the voice resonated through the corridors. Suddenly, a door appeared in the wall behind him, opening itself into a dark room. Naruto couldn't see any details of the room, save for a silvery light shimmering in the distance. He decided that this mystery was one that needed to be solved, despite his own prejudices. Without a second thought, he entered through the doors, unsure of what awaited him on the other side.

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He must've been through at least ten corridors, each bigger than and as regal as that last, and he was still following that damn silver light. The entire place seemed to have been created for someone of royal importance or value, possibly a prince or princess. Wherever in the hell the light was leading him was also unknown. Naruto felt like repeatedly bashing his head against something before he went completely insane.

"Where the hell is this taking me?!" he shouted angrily.

"**You've not any farther to go." **a voice boomed. Naruto looked up to identify the speaker – and was left breathless.

Before him stood a gigantic prison, the bars made of marble like the majority of this God forsaken place. A paper with the kanji for 'seal' was firmly placed over the doors, sealing them shut. However, the most surprising thing was behind the bars.

Staring back at him were a pair of large, crimson red eyes that seemed as if they could kill with a glance, accompanied by an awfully large set of sharp fangs that would most likely be able to cut through reinforced steel like paper. Naruto had no need for an introduction. He knew exactly who this was.

"Y-You're the...Kyuubi..." he stated, in little more than a whisper. The nine tailed demon seemed to grin at the boy's recognition of him.

"**Yes, I am the Kyuubi no Kitsune, the very spirit sealed inside you at birth, and the very reason your village was nearly destroyed that day."** he said in response. Naruto felt something emerge from deep inside him. A feeling he never knew he would have if he met this frightening and ferocious beast. He wasn't scared. He wasn't mad. He wasn't upset. He was...happy. Why in God's name was he _happy_ to meet the very being who was the reason his life had been a living Hell?

"So...it's true then. This only proves it, the final damning evidence that I am indeed a Jinchuriki. At least now I don't have to worry about anyone rebutting the claim." he said with a slight chuckle. Kyuubi raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"**You are an odd one, kit. Most would be terrified upon laying their eyes upon me. You, however, embrace my presence as if I were family. Care to explain why that is?"** he asked.

"I guess it's since you've always been there. My entire life, you were there, living every moment no matter how horrid or morose it was. Now, I can finally talk with you, one on one, with no interruptions by those who just don't understand. It's also because of you that I have a mission to find the other Jinchuriki – whether they are of Bijuu or spirit dragon – and let them know they are not alone. You've given me a purpose in life – other than being Hokage that it." he said, grinning at the last part. Kyuubi couldn't help but sneer._** 'This brat is definitely not like my previous container. I may actually take a liking to this one.' **_he thought to himself.

"**Very well. While I detest my imprisonment within this seal, I may as well get to know my container. It would be unfair to be taking residence without knowing one's landlord, would it not?"** he stated. As soon as the demon fox said that, Naruto knew that this was going to be very interesting.

"Well, I know who you are, and I'm going to assume that you know who I am – Uzumaki Naruto, future Hokage of Konoha and Jinchuriki to Kyuubi no Kitsune." Naruto replied.

"**It would be interesting to continue this conversation now, but I'm afraid we have other matters to attend to. You and I are both aware of the numerous Jinchuriki in this village, and with the upcoming Chunin Exams, then there will most certainly be more, possibly numbering in the hundreds."** he said. At this revelation, the blonde's eyes nearly popped out of his head.

"W-What?! There are really that many Jinchuriki!?" he asked in shock.

"**There are many dragon spirits, though I don't believe that I have met each one personally. However, each Jinchuriki will be incredibly powerful, and chances are you will have to fight the majority of them for various reasons."** Kyuubi said. Naruto picked up on what the demon was hinting at, but decided to press for an answer anyway.

"What do you purpose we do about that?" he asked in an 'I-already-know-but-tell-me-anyway' kind of tone.

"**I purpose that, at night, we train you to use my powers whenever you need to since, if you die, I die, and I'm positive neither of us wants that. Using my powers would give you the edge you would need to defeat them."** he explained. The blonde grew wary of the demon's true intentions.

"And why should I take that at face value? You could very well attempt to possess me and overshadow my body through your chakra." he said, staring down the fox in front of him. Kyuubi was moderately surprised that the blonde was able to come up with such a possibility. However, this boy was obviously not schooled in the ways of spiritual honor.

"**Kit, I understand your suspicion, but there is no need. Like you humans, we spirits have our own unwritten 'code of morals,' if you will. When a spirit makes a pact with a human, they are never to lie or deceive with the pact or its terms. If such a taboo is broken, then the consequences are so dire that I can hardly bare to think of them."** he explained. Naruto's surprise was painfully obvious. There was definitely more to the spirit world than meet the eye, as the human race didn't understand everything quite yet themselves.

"I see. My apologies for suspecting you." he said, bowing slightly. Now Kyuubi felt his brow rise past what would be his hairline. This kid was not normal in any sense of the word. He _bowed_ in front of a ten-thousand year old demon sealed inside him at birth, and who was the main reason his life was made nothing less than Hell for a good twelve years! How did that add up?! Before the demon could press for an answer, Naruto cut him off.

"So, how you do plan on training me to use your powers?" he asked. Oh right. He had almost forgotten.

"**Oh, yes. I will explain it when the time is right. Since your body is going to wake up soon, we haven't much time left. Make sure that you return to your apartment by nightfall. At night is when my powers are strongest."** Kyuubi explained. Suddenly, the 'invincibly' of the Kyuubi during the attack on Konoha seemed a little more natural than spiritual to Naruto. _'So, the fact that it was night during the attack did play a role in the battle. If I was that powerful on the bridge – during the day – imagine what it would be like at night? And I would still be in complete control! The power to protect those who are precious to me...To protect this village from pain and strife...That power could very well be granted if I follow his training regime to the letter.'_ he surmised.

"I supposed I'll have no other choice than to wait until tonight then. I promise to return by 7:30 PM, not a minute later." he promised.

"**Good. I must bid you adieu until then."** Kyuubi said. Naruto suddenly felt very strange. A wave of warm ran through his body as his vision began to fade...

Kyuubi watched as the boy faded away from his mindscape. He was an interesting one. He seemed intelligent, polite, determined and quixotic.

"**Something tells me it is going to become very dramatic within the next few weeks..."** he mused. Something that wasn't a random stab in the dark.

(Current Time)

"I wonder what he meant by 'special training?' Oh well, guess I'll find out soon enough." Naruto said aloud. He had changed into his pajamas – a red shirt with short black sleeves and black shorts – and now sat in the middle of his living room floor. Now would be as good a time as any to take the plunge. There was nothing to lose...

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Sasuke and Sakura watched with fervid anticipation as to what their teammate had planned. It was obviously going to reveal something, but what it was they could only guess. In silent curiosity, they waited for something – anything – to prove that they were right.

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Naruto focused on his chakra, letting the spiritual energy flow throughout his body. He still didn't know exactly what Kyuubi had in store for him, but it was better than going into battle defenseless. Besides, this could prove to be the very thing that allows him to assist the other Jinchuriki he came across during his own adventures.

"_Hey Kyuubi, you there?"_ he thought. It didn't take a genius to understand that they had a mental link to one another.

"_**Yeah, I'm here kit. I hope you're ready for this."**_ the fox replied. Naruto mentally nodded in confirmation.

"_**Okay, the first step is to make sure that you can feel my chakra within you. If you draw upon it yourself, then you will have complete control over it almost as if you were me." **_he explained. Naruto meditated silently, searching for the demonic energy within him. Suddenly, he felt a spike in chakra and smiled slightly.

"_Got it. That was easier than expected."_ he thought to Kyuubi.

"_**That's thanks in part to your chakra sensory capabilities. Now, I want you to call upon it like you would with normal chakra. If you do this correctly, you should notice the chakra around you turn red." **_Kyuubi said in response.

Naruto did as instructed, calling upon the crimson energy to course through his veins. What happened next astounded him.

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The two other members of Team 7 found their jaws on the ground as they watched with amazement at their teammate. He was suddenly surrounded in an orb of the red chakra he possessed, all but proving their suspicions true. Thank God he was in a rush; otherwise he would've sensed them.

However, the chakra seemed different somehow. It seemed more controlled and benevolent than before. It also, Sasuke noted, was a lighter shade of red, almost crimson instead of the dark scarlet red it was before.

Either way, it was a weight of curiosity off their shoulders now that they knew his secret (or at least part of it). Maybe now they had a chance in the Chunin Exams.

Sakura could tell, however, that Sasuke wanted such a power for himself as well. It was a fearsome ability, this red chakra, but it was unique to Naruto and only he could use it. Still, it would be incredible to have such power to use yourself too...

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Naruto couldn't believe how _normal_ it felt. It was like it was second nature for him to use and control like an extension of his physical body.

"_This...this is amazing! I could've done this all along had I known about it!" _he thought.

"_**Yes. You have a grip on my abilities and soon you will be able to control some of my more complex powers. For now, though, you should get to bed. Using my powers for too long without rest will drain your chakra to nearly absolute zero, which will kill us." **_Kyuubi said warningly. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"_Yeah, yeah, you overgrown hairball."_ he sighed. Ignoring his tenant's rant about how he was the 'greatest of all the Bijuu in existence, not some furry hairball,' he released the chakra, letting it dissipate into thin air.

"If I do this every night from now on, I should have a handle on those powers in no time at all." he said aloud to himself, grinning like a Cheshire Cat. Kyuubi was right, though. Using that chakra did leave him drained, even if it was for a short while. He supposed that the more he used it the easier he could control it and the longer he could withstand it. With the success of his training fresh in his mind, Naruto went to his bedroom to catch some well deserved Zs.

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The other two Genin of Team 7 managed to regain their bearings to discuss the matter at hand. They both knew that, at this pace, Naruto would soon easily outclass the both of them.

"This is serious. The dobe is growing stronger and stronger at an incredible rate, while we're sitting around doing nothing. We need to start training ourselves as vigorously as he is or we'll never catch up." Sasuke explained. Sakura nodded in agreement. There was no way she wanted to lose to Naruto of all people.

"What do you think we should do?" she asked him. He thought about it for a minute before confirming it with himself.

"Okay, we'll undergo a night training regime like the dobe is. If we want the slightest hope of matching his crimson chakra, then we'll have no choice." he said. To be honest with herself, Sakura was a little hesitant about the idea. Without sleeping much, they would be too exhausted to be of much use to anyone. But then again, they still had a while before the Chunin Exams. They could use all the training they could get.

"Right. Any ideas where we can train without anyone noticing?" she asked.

"We can do so at the Uchiha Compound. C'mon Sakura, we've got work to do." he said. She nodded, following him as he headed towards the old compound.

(The next day: Training Field 7)

Kakashi noticed that two of his three students seemed quite exhausted this morning. Both Sasuke and Sakura seemed to have had trouble sleeping the previous night, as they were sleepily performing their training exercises.

Naruto, however, was a completely different story. He was an endless pool of energy and vitality, effortlessly completing his training exercises for the day in double the time that he would have at that age. No doubt due to the Kyuubi's influence. He supposed that now would be the right time to tell them of their entrance in the Chunin Exams.

"Okay guys, I have an announcement to make. As of today, Team 7 is officially registered in the upcoming Chunin Exams. You have a week left before the beginning of the exams, and once they begin you may not be permitted to leaving them until you are eliminated. Until then we will be training strenuously to perfect our skills and teamwork so that you may have a shot at passing them this year." he explained.

Naruto cheered in excitement as his two teammates smiled happily. It looked like they were going to participate in the Chunin Exams after all. Now, all they had to do was meet up with Naruto's mysterious powers, a task much easier said than done.

The young blonde was unaware of his teammate's thoughts. He was too ecstatic about this chance to prove his strength. Not to mention the loads of Jinchuriki that he knew he would be able to find during the exams themselves. Finally, his mission was going to get a great jump start.

Kakashi took note of his student's reactions. Each was what he expected it to be. He knew that Naruto would be the most excited out them all, considering the 'side-job' of gathering the Jinchuriki to his side. Right now, though, he was a one man army. He still had a lot of work to do before he would be able to save anyone.

Sasuke and Sakura, on the other hand, seemed happy but somewhat nervous about the upcoming events. He supposed he couldn't blame them. It was their first time, and with all the demonic powers that would be flying about they would no doubt ask questions. He only hoped that Naruto could handle that situation when it made itself known.

"If we're going to make it through the exams, we're going to have to seriously step up our game! Sasuke! Sakura! C'mon, let's go!" Naruto said excitedly. They mentally groaned at his energy. Damn them for staying up until one in the morning! This night training regime was going to seriously be difficult to follow through with...

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Sarutobi knew that soon, very soon, he would leave for the spirit world. He had lived a good life and he knew that many would miss him terribly – including Naruto. However, they would learn to move on and continue living their lives.

He finished writing the letter he had prepared for Naruto and his fellow Jinchuriki once the time came. He now had to deliver it to its destination. Personally.

(Later: Hyuga Compound)

Hiashi was peacefully meditating in the clan garden, hoping to wash away the guilt and stress of being the head of a clan that appears to care more for nobility and monetary value than their old values of love and prosperity. Those damnable elders...he would never forgive them for what they had done to his daughter and nephew.

Before he could continue his mental ranting, one of the clan guards appeared behind him, bowing before him.

"Hiashi-sama, I apologize for interrupting you, but Lord Hokage-sama wishes to speak with you of a matter he states is of the utmost importance." he said. The Hyuga head rose from his spot and nodded to the servant.

"Thank you. Please tell Lord Hokage-sama that I will be with him in a moment's time." he replied.

"Hai, Hiashi-sama." With that, the servant disappeared from view. Hiashi sighed to himself. He honestly hoped this had nothing to do with the abysmal behavior the clan elders had been displaying as of late.

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The two men sat in the Hyuga Clan's most luxurious lounge, reserved for mostly the main branch of the Hyuga Clan. Branch members were only allowed into the room by invitation or orders from an official.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of your presence this fine day, Hokage-sama?" Hiashi asked.

"I was honestly hoping that this meeting would never have to occur. However, I fear that the worst is to befall us sooner than expected. I assume you know what I speak of." the Hokage replied. Hiashi stiffened. He knew everything about the Jinchuriki, Naruto's true heritage and the prophecy made by Namikaze Arashi.

"I thought we had more time. When did you suspect that time is running short?" he asked.

"When Naruto told me he had managed to tap into the Kyuubi's abilities, I knew that my demise and the coming of the cloud are closer at hand than we had initially perceived. I'm afraid that I will not be able to inform Naruto and the others of his hidden past and how Minato and Kushina's greatest accomplishment would benefit them in the future." At this, the Hokage turned to meet Hiashi at eye level.

"You were Minato's closest friend on this mortal plain. It would only seem right that you were charged with handing him this on his fourteenth birthday." he said. He handed the head Hyuga the note he had finished only a half-hour earlier.

"Hokage-sama...I promise I will not fail you – or Minato." he said in a slightly reminiscent tone. Sarutobi could only guess that he was reliving the happier times when Minato, Kushina and Hinari were still alive.

"Thank you, Hiashi. I must bid you farewell for now. You will never know how important this will be to him once he finds out." Sarutobi said, politely excusing himself from the Hyuga Compound. Once alone, Hiashi could only chuckle lightly.

"I think I have a better idea than you know, Hokage-sama."


	2. The Chunin Exams Begin!

**Jinchuriki of the Leaf Chap. 2**

A full week has passed since Naruto had discovered the existence of other Jinchuriki. A week has passed since Sasuke and Sakura began training almost all day and all night in order to compete with Naruto's red chakra. A week has passed since they were told they would be participating in the Chunin Exams. Now, it was time.

The three Genin of Team 7 stood outside the exam building. They had trained hard over the week, and none were as ready as Naruto. He was prepared for anything he may be facing, He was, however, concerned for his two teammates.

They were exhausted for some odd reason. He didn't think that the training would leave them so drained, but then again they didn't have his massive vitality. He just hoped they were well enough to see the exams through to the end.

"C'mon you two! Let's get going!" he said happily, earning a groan from Sakura and a glare from Sasuke. He sweat-dropped. He had a bad feeling about this exam.....

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Upon entered the academy – where the first exam was being held – they couldn't help but gawk at the sheer amount of Genin participating in the exams this time around. _'Oh my God there's at least a thousand of them!'_ Naruto screeched in his mind. _**'At least this may make this enjoyable.'**_ Kyuubi replied. _'Ah, quiet you mangy hairball!' _

They came to a stop as the majority of the Genin were protesting against something. Curiosity set in as they heard someone being hit to the ground. They looked to see a Konoha kunoichi wiping her cheek in frustration. Standing above her were two older looking Genin, blocking the door to the exams.

At least, that's what it looked like at a glance.

Naruto's chakra sensory capabilities allowed him to easily see through the ruse. Grabbing his teammate's by their arms (much to their annoyance and chagrin), he began to push his way though the crowd. This didn't go unnoticed, however.

"Hey, you three! Where do you think you're going?" one of the older Genin asked.

"If you have to know, we're going to the third floor, where the real exams are being held." Naruto replied smugly. Suddenly, the number above the door changed from 302 to 202, signifying that they were only on the second floor. Everyone stared at the blonde in surprise, including his two teammates.

"Nice try, guys. Maybe next time." he said, turning back to the stairway in front of them. The two pseudo-Genin were not going to suffer this embarrassment, however. Not from the demon of Konoha.

"You seem awfully confident for a rookie. I think we should beat that out of you!" he said, preparing a punch aimed at the back of the blonde's head.

His teammates saw the attack coming, but before they could even warn him, he ducked under the fist, grabbing his assailant's arm in the process. With a mighty swing, he brought the older man forward in a frontward slam into the ground.

"Is that all you got? It's hard to believe that you're a Chunin." Naruto chided, adding insult to injury. In a puff of vapor, the two revealing themselves as adult Chunin. Again, much of the room was in surprise that this rookie was able to easily see through their ruse and counter a blow from behind like he had.

Ignoring the slack-jawed stares from his teammates, he motioned for them to move with his hand.

"C'mon! If you all just stand there, you'll miss the exams!" he called out to the entire room. Mass chaos followed as the Genin all charged for the stairs.

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Three young Genin from Kumo watched Naruto with fervid anticipation. Was their mission dependent on this boy? Was he the one they were searching for?

"Do you think that's him? The one with Kyuubi?" one of the boys asked. He had spiky, crimson red hair and matching eyes, complimenting his tanned skin tone. He wore a red tank top with two brown belts strapped around his torso and white cargo shorts with bandages around his legs. A sword was strapped to the back of the belts, while the front of the belts held two pockets in which he held summoning scrolls. Rather than possessing a headband, the symbol of his village was emblazoned on his chest, above where the belts crossed.

"I don't know, Takato-kun, maybe. It's obvious he's a Jinchuriki. Otherwise, he wouldn't have seen through that ruse." the female replied. She had long black hair reaching her back, with a pair of dark green eyes that seemed to peer into the soul. She had on a black tube top with a white design sewn into the fabric. She wore white gloves that reached her elbows, with a similar design along them in black. To complete her outfit, she wore black Capri's and sandals, while her headband was around her waist.

"What if he doesn't even know he has a demon sealed in him?" the second boy asked. He had messy dark brown hair and red eyes like Takato. He wore a dark green shirt with light brown short sleeves with black cargo pants and a white belt around his waist. His headband was tied around his arm.

"He probably does. It seems like he's harnessed whatever spirit he houses." Takato replied.

"Yeah. Either way, we should keep an eye on him." the girl said.

"I get ya, Rika-chan, but what if he isn't who we're looking for?" he asked again.

"Then we tell him about our mission and see if he would help us." Rika said.

"Yeah, Takuya-nii-san, you knew this to begin with." Takato said, chiding his brother.

"Shut it, Takato! Don't forget that I can easily kick your ass." Takuya replied, earning himself a glare from his brother.

"You think so, don't you? You wanna give it a try?" he asked.

"Both of you knock it off or I'll personally guarantee that you both will need surgery before we head home!" Rika said, ameliorating the heating argument between her male teammates. Damn testosterone. Regaining her composure, she put on a small smile.

"Listen, we all know exactly how important this mission is and how many Jinchuriki there are. We need to make sure that we are prepared when the time comes, otherwise the prophecy will not come to pass." she said calmly.

"Yeah, and then we're all screwed." Takuya added. Rika rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"We know that! If the Jinchuriki are unable to band together, then things won't turn out too well for the world. All things considered, we should start with this kid. At least then maybe he won't feel so alone....." she replied. Everyone looked down solemnly as they headed down the corridor to the first exam, lost in thoughts of their own.

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The three Kiri Genin looked on in surprise. This was going to be a very intense exam. The male of the team was visibly concerned. Beating that blonde kid was definitely going to be difficult, even with the three of them at full strength. His teammates seemed to have read his thoughts, for they glanced at him in concern.

"I know that he looks strong, but if we play our cards right, we should be able to beat him." one girl said. She had long light blue hair and violet eyes, wearing a purple flask jacket over a black t-top and black Capri's. Fishnet arm wraps touched from the sleeve of her jacket to the edge of her wrist, revealing a small hint of her light tone. Her headband was wrapped around her head like a bandanna.

"I know what you mean, Umi-chan, but still.........there's something about him that I can't quite place my finger on." he replied. He had spiky auburn hair and deep blue eyes, a perfect compliment for his tanned skin. He wore a dark blue and black jacket over a white t-shirt with matching pants. His headband was wrapped firmly around his forehead, displaying his village symbol with pride.

"You're just being paranoid Masato. He's just another competitor in the exams, and we still have to beat him." the second girl said, scolding her friend. She had short green hair and light blue eyes, with a dark tan skin tone that made her appear from the tropics. She wore a green sleeveless vest with a pair of black shorts and a white skirt over them. Her boots came to her knees, while fishnet coverings ran down her forearms. Her headband was around her neck.

"Maybe so, Naito-chan, but I can't help feeling this way. I swear I've meet that boy before......" Masato pondered aloud.

"Well, I hope that won't interfere with our progress in the exams." Naito said.

"Of course not. I'm ready for anything." he replied.

"Good thing, since we're going to be late if we dawdle any longer." Umi pointed out. The trio headed for the examination room, where they would begin what would be the adventure that changed their lives forever.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"I don't want to do this." he admitted to them. There. He said it. They had known that he had no desire to partake in Suna's political affairs, but orders were orders.

"Kouen, we know there is no choice. We have to do this, whether we like it or not." his teammate said. He had dark brown hair and deep yellow eyes, wearing a dark brown vest over a white shirt with white cargo shorts. He had black leather gloves adorned on each hand, with his village symbol engraved on the back of them.

"But, Subaru, we don't have to do it. We have no reason to -" Kouen attempted to rebuttal, but their female teammate silenced them.

"We can't speak of such things lightly in public. I don't want to either, but like Subaru-nii-san said, we have no choice." she said, agreeing with her cousin. She had long purple hair and yellow eyes, wearing a red-orange Chinese style dress with a black dragon design on the front and black shorts. Her headband was wrapped around her forehead.

"But what reason could justify this? Why would Kazekage-sama just randomly attack Konoha for no reason? Can you tell me that, Hikari-chan?" he asked again. He had messy tan hair and crimson eyes. He wore a dusty brown t-shirt with blue sweatpants and brown fingerless gloves on each hand. His headband was wrapped around his shoulder. Hikari looked down dejectedly.

"I just......I don't know, okay? But we have to follow orders, no matter how inane or phlegmatic they may be." she responded.

"No one wants a war. It's something that every person dreads, yet it is inevitable in every society. The more we struggle for peace, the greater the chance for war, and the sooner politicians learn that, the sooner such calamities can be put to rest." Subaru stated. His team was silent as they entered the examination room.

(Current Day: Examination Room)

Once inside the room, Team 7 once more gawked at the sheer amount of Genin present. And all of them were impressed by Naruto's skill. Whispers began to fly about the second they entered the room.

"Hey look, it's that one kid!"

"You mean the one that beat those Chunin?"

"Yeah him! He's definitely someone to look out for."

"Oh my God, there he is! That one kid!"

"You know, he's kinda cute."

"What a hunk!"

"I would love to see how well he can fight."

"I wouldn't. I'd probably lose against him."

All of these comments were noted by his ever-jealous teammates. They were just as talented as he was, if not more, so why was he getting all the attention? Their thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice ringing out.

"Well, well, well, look whose the talk of the town?" someone said in an anxious tone. Naruto recognized the voice and turned to greet the new arrivals.

"Hey you guys! How are you?. It's been awhile, hasn't it?" he asked. His calmness surprised the three Genin of Team 8. Kiba swore that the blonde dobe would be spewing insults left and right while flailing about like an idiot. Yet here he was, reminiscing on their childhood in a dignified manner. He wondered if they had entered the Twilight Zone.

"Um......w-what you did outside, Naruto-kun, t-that was very i-impressive....." Hinata stammered shyly. He smiled at the young girl, causing her to blush and look down with a sudden fascination with the floor. '_Why does she do that?!?_' he asked himself. Her timidity was starting to annoy him, and he wanted to help her get past her shy state. '_**You really don't know?**_' Kyuubi asked. '_Would I be asking if I did?_' he replied. '_**It's obvious she harbors some kind of respect for you. She is of the more timid of your human species, and as such she tends to fidget and get nervous around someone they admire.**_' the demon fox replied.

Before the mental conversation could continue, he was brought back into reality by a grunt of annoyance from his stoic teammate. Upon turning, he saw a certain Yamanaka with her arms wrapped around his neck. He looked none too pleased with her actions.

"Let go of Sasuke-kun now Ino-pig before I make you!" Sakura threatened her ex-best friend. The blonde girl scoffed at her.

"Like you could Billboard Brow." she replied. Sparks literally flew from her eyes as she pulled her off of him and started a small wrestling match on the floor. Naruto hung his head in shame and pretending not to know either of them.

"How troublesome........" Shikamaru muttered lazily. He knew taking this exam was going to be a real drag, but having Asuma train them 24/7 for the next two months seemed like the greater of two evils.

"You know, it isn't a good idea for rookies such as yourselves to draw attention from the crowd. You won't be making any friends that way." someone said. The nine Genin turned to see a young man with silver hair in a small pony tail with obsidian eyes and glasses. Naruto grew wary of his presence. His chakra signature was definitely not that of a normal Genin.

"And who, may I ask, are you?" he asked, his glare going mostly unnoticed.

"My name is Yakushi Kabuto and I just wanted to give some fellow Konoha ninja some advice." he introduced himself. He highly doubted that, but he had nothing to lose. With his guard still up, he nodded in recognition of his introduction.

"How many times have you taken the exams?" Sakura asked, generally curious.

"This is my sixth time in a row, my past failures allowing me to gather information on the competition beforehand. Allow me to share my findings." Kabuto said. He drew a large stack of cards from his pouch and held them in front of him.

"These info cards contain the every detail of each Genin entered in this exam. Is there anyone particular that you have in mind?" he asked.

"I do. Uzumaki Naruto." Sasuke responded, earning himself a glare from said blonde.

"Don't talk about me like I'm not here, teme, or I'll make you regret it." he warned. There was something in the tone of his voice that make all listeners flinch at the message he sent. A small gasp from Kabuto diverted their attention back to him.

"According to this card, he has the fire power to back that claim up. It says that, while your genjutsu is practically non-existent, it seems that you are a ninjutsu specialist. I've never seen such a high reading before." he said, showing the card to the others. The ninjutsu data listed on the graph was well above the highest value written. What surprised most, however, was listed in the mission column.

"You completed an A-Rank mission!?!?" Kiba asked in horrid shock.

"It was tough and very confusing, but we made it back. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for the ninja we fought." he replied. A ping of sadness was evident in his tone. Sasuke and Sakura shared similar expressions as the gory memories of the Wave Village mission resurfaced after a week of neglect. The others sensed that death had made itself known to the members of Team 7.

"That doesn't surprise me. It even says right here....." Kabuto trailed off as a small but powerful amount of killer intent was released from a certain blonde boy.

"I suggest you think before you continue speaking, otherwise this kunai might find itself lodged into your neck." he warned with a malevolent glare. The others noticed his fingers lacing around the handle of a kunai. He wasn't joking. Whatever was on that card was something he didn't want anyone to know._ 'Is that really Naruto?'_ Sakura couldn't help but wonder.

Suddenly, in a puff of vapor, a large man appeared at the front of the room. He wore a large black cloak with a bandanna around his scarred head. His glare could pierce through steel.

"Alright you little maggots! Time for the Chunin Exams to begin! Take your seats to begin the written portion of the exam." he announced. Two of the three members of Team 7 wanted to bash their heads against the wall while five of the nine Konoha Genin felt a pang of sadness and regret for them. One of these nine was too busy feeling nervous for the other, while the other thought it couldn't be easier.

Sasuke and Sakura mentally groaned. Written exams were never Naruto's forte, his grades being among the lowest in the Academy, if not the holder of that title. They were taken from their thoughts by a comment from Shikamaru.

"Who is this guy anyway? He seems way too troublesome to deal with...." he stated lazily.

"My name is Morino Ibiki, the proctor of the first exam." the man said, almost as in response to the young Nara's inquiry. Naruto's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets upon hearing the name.

"Oh man, we are in so much trouble!" he said in a panic.

"Why is that?" Sakura asked, acting like she knew the answer to the question.

"You don't know who that man is?!? He's the head of the Konoha Interrogation Squad and a master of mental – and physical – torture!" the blonde replied.

The majority of the Genin who had heard his outburst paled at the revelation as Ibiki put on a silent smirk. _'This kid seems to know that I don't take things lightly, seeing how he freaked out at the mention of my name. This may be a good crop of students this year.'_ he thought. He decided to reinforce the boy's claim.

"Oh, and by the way, anyone not in their seat in the next sixty seconds is disqualified from the exam for insubordination." he stated nonchalantly.

The next minute was nothing more than mass chaos.

The scores of Genin were quickly running left and right to get to their seat in time. Had he not been a trained professional, Ibiki would have been on the floor laughing until his gut hurt. However, since he was, he decided that a hardy laugh would suffice.

They had all reached their designated spots within the time limit, so none of them were disqualified. That was a relief to the participating students. Naruto was sitting towards the front of the room, almost staring down Ibiki face-to-face. _'Aw crap!'_ he thought. _**'Don't freak out. If he tries anything funny, just use my power and tear his head from his neck.'**_ Kyuubi replied nonchalantly. _'I can't exactly go demon here, baka no kitsune, and even if I could I wouldn't.'_ Naruto responded.

The papers were handed out to the participants as Ibiki explained the rules of the exam. As he continued, Naruto couldn't help but pick out several flaws in the set guidelines. You only got a two point deduction if found cheating? They didn't just throw you out of the exam? He glanced down at the paper in front of him. Upon skimming through the questions, he found that none of these questions were capable of being answered by a Genin – unless he or she was a genius.

_'These guys play a smart game, but they need to do better if they wanna fool me!' _he thought. _**'So how do you propose we do this?'**_ Kyuubi asked. _'Just leave that to me.'_ he replied.

Hinata was currently glancing nervously between her paper and the boy sitting next to her. Of all the people she had to be paired with, Naruto was right there next to her! Her heart had sprouted wings and was about to take off when she realized the exam had started. She quickly came to the same conclusion as Naruto did and activated her Byakugan.

She found someone who had the answers written down somewhere behind her, and quickly copied them from him. By the time she finished, she noticed that Naruto didn't have a single answer written on his exam. She didn't want him to fail at something that would mean so much to him.

"Um.....N-Naruto-kun..." she stated softly, getting his attention.

Naruto was admittedly surprised at hearing someone say his name, but seeing Hinata sitting next to him cleared up his misconceptions.

"Ah, Hinata-chan, I didn't think we'd end up together." he stated. She blushed brightly at his equivocal remark.

"W-Well.....I-I saw that you d-didn't have any answers, so....w-would you like to copy them from m-me?" she asked shyly. He seemed surprised at her offer, but smiled warmly.

"Thank you, but I don't want you getting in trouble because of me. Besides, I already have a plan on how to get the answers. Don't worry about me, okay." he replied. She blushed deeply as she realized what he meant. _'He cares about me!' _

_'Okay, here goes nothing.' _he thought as he performed the hand seals underneath his desk. This would be the first time he used Kyuubi's chakra in a jutsu, thus making this his first Demonic Art technique, but it was worth a shot.

_'Demonic Art: Spirit Puppet!'_ he thought. A mass of invisible chakra left his body discreetly, controlled by thin chakra strings that not even a skilled Jonin would be able to detect. It sailed throughout the room, collecting the answers from various sources in a coded form. Upon returning to its master, it decoded the messages it received, allowing Naruto to discern what the words meant. Soon, his test paper had been filled with all the answers. Little did he know, a certain Hyuga had seen his flight.

Hinata was breathless. Her Byakugan, being active, had picked up the chakra Naruto had used. How long had he been able to do that? More importantly, how had he been able to do that? That was a special type of chakra, she could tell. However, she felt as though she had felt it before. Why did this chakra feel so....welcoming and warm to her? Almost as if it belonged to a long-lost loved one......

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Sakura knew she could figure out the answers, but she was too exhausted to think properly at the moment. All her late night training had left her drained both physically and mentally. What the hell were they thinking doing what they did? She knew that Sasuke would be mad at her if they failed because of her, however, so she continued to take the exam, despite her own exhaustion.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Sasuke was not faring much better than his pink-haired teammate. His Sharingan would not stay active for more than a few minutes due to his overuse of his body during the past week. He had made a mistake and was now paying the price. He refused to be the weakest link on his team, so he continue to steal what little answers he could.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Naruto knew that his two teammates were probably too exhausted to continue with the exam much longer. Summoning his spirit puppet once more, he implanted the answers inside it and sent it out to his teammates. He just prayed that the messages would make it across in time, otherwise the exams would be forfeit.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Sakura suddenly felt more awake and alert, almost as if someone had given her about ten grande cups of coffee. Somehow, the answers were coming to her clear as a bell. She scribbled them down quickly before they left her. As soon as she was done, she had no idea how they got there and what that massive boost was. However, she wasn't complaining.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Sasuke sat up as a new vigor ran through his systems. Someone was giving him the answers, he knew it straight off the bat. Not particularly caring who it was, he wrote them quickly, making sure to remember each one before this boost wore off and he crashed worse than before. After completing the exam, he sat back and let the rest of the pieces fall where they would.

(A few minutes later)

Ibiki looked around and saw that many of the participants were still remaining. Considering how many participants there were to begin with, it was to be expected. It was time to pop the final question and see how many of them would wimp out.

"Okay you maggots, time for the final question! This question is given at the end of the exam since you have the option to take it or not. Those who don't take it are disqualified from the exam and can take it again in six months. However, if you take it and get it wrong, you will never be able to take the Chunin Exams again." he explained.

One by one, teams began dropping out, cracking under the pressure. Naruto knew that he could handle it, and his teammates would be fine now that he had given them a temporary boost of chakra to jump start their systems. He glared at Ibiki harshly and with unwavering determination. He slammed his hand down on the table in front of him to garner the attention of the room.

"If you think I'll be scared off by some little exam, you're dead wrong. I have my goals and dreams in this life and there's no way in hell that I'm letting you decide whether or not I achieve them. Go practice your torture methods with someone they'll work on, for you'll not scare me away." he said with an ardent will.

Ibiki was thoroughly shocked. Not only did this little blonde gaki tell him off, but he encouraged the other teams to stay. Then, he noticed something that made his eyebrows zip past his hairline (if he had one). The spot where the boy's hand had slammed down was slightly splintered. Smirking slightly, he looked at the remaining Genin.

"Let me be the first to say.......congratulations, you've passed the first exam." he said. Every Genin in the room deadpanned.

"Then what was the point of that whole thing?!" one Suna kunoichi asked.

"The test itself was never the exam. This was testing your ability to retrieve information and share it with your teammates discreetly. There are times when information is a shinobi's most valuable asset, and it can be the reason a village is saved from destruction. As Chunin, you may be required to obtain or protect important information from enemy units with your very lives." He unwrapped his bandanna, revealing gruesome scars, wounds and gashes on his scalp.

Naruto grimaced at the sight of it. This man must've been through hell and back. His thoughts were cut off as someone crashed through the window, ostentatiously presenting a large banner which read "Mitarashi Anko, Proctor of the Second Exam!" in large gold letters.

"Alright, listen up you little maggots! The name's Mitarashi Anko and I'll be the proctor of the second stage of the Chunin Exam!" she announced. Naruto (and about half the room) sweat-dropped at her overly-dramatic entrance.

"We can read you know....." he mumbled under his breath. Anko quickly surveyed the room and, like many before her, was baffled by the amount of remaining participating Genin there were. She turned to Ibiki, smirking slightly.

"Ibiki, you've gone soft." she remarked.

"Or maybe this is a good crop of candidates this year." he responded.

"Well, when I'm through with them, less than half with remain." she boasted. Turning to the crowd of students, she put on a fierce glare that silenced any chatter in the room.

"For the second exam, report to Training Area 44 in one hour! If you have no idea where that is, ask your sensei for direction! You are dismissed!" she announced.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Takato, Takuya and Rika met outside the examination building. They had all felt that chakra and knew exactly what was in store for them.

"You guys felt it too?" Rika asked her male teammates.

"Yeah. I think that kid really is the Kyuubi's Jinchuriki." Takato admitted.

"I don't doubt it, but what if we have to fight him? He's pretty strong." Takuya offered.

"We stall for time and attempt to reason with him. Just mentioning we know his secret would probably have him stop the fighting long enough to listen." Rika replied.

"You have a point Rika-chan." Takato agreed.

"Personally, I like this kid." Takuya remarked, smiling warmly. His teammates smiled as well.

"Yeah, he seems like a nice guy, and very determined to reach his goals." Rika said.

"Not to mention very intelligent. Remember that one outburst he had? About who the proctor was? I would've never known that had I not heard it." Takato said.

"Although, with how the exam was rigged, we might have figured that out on our own." Rika said, laughing lightly. The others joined her laugher. It felt good to let go like this. They couldn't remember the last time they could just joke around and laugh together.

"So true. Is it agreed then? That we try to befriend this kid?" Takuya asked.

"Yep! Even if he's not a Jinchuriki – we could be wrong – he'd still be a nice kid to know." his brother replied.

"Maybe we can talk to him before the second exam." Takuya suggested. The others shrugged. It was worth a shot.

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"Wow, I wasn't expecting such an outburst." Masato admitted.

"I don't think anyone was. He's definitely not an ordinary child." Umi stated.

"Umi-chan, there's no such thing as an ordinary child. Everyone is weird in their own way." Naito said.

"Yeah, yeah, I know." she replied. This boy seemed to be the type of person you'd want to have at your back. Not to mention he inspired them to continue despite the consequences of both situations.

"I propose we try to become friends with this kid." Naito suggested.

"Why so sudden?" Umi asked. Naito had never been one to seek friends out, normally a loner with few true friends.

"There's just something about him that I can't help but like. Call me crazy, but it's like I knew him in a past life." she admitted. Masato nodded, feeling the same.

"It definitely feels like I've met him before. If we meet during the second exam, I'd like to speak with him." he stated.

"Alright then. It seems like we're going hunting during the second exam." Umi joked.

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Kouen looked at his two teammates nervously. That was a prime example of why they shouldn't attack Konoha, yet their opinion changed very little.

"Are you serious!? You're still willing to go through with this after seeing that?" he asked incredulously.

"Like we said before, it's our mission! And don't you dare think for a second that I enjoy the idea!" Hikari said, glaring at him accusingly.

"It's a shame we didn't catch his name. It would be easier to talk to him." Subaru stated.

"About what? You want to confess the plan?" Kouen asked hopefully.

"I didn't say that. Talking with someone doesn't necessarily have to be a strategic play." he replied. The tan haired boy sweat-dropped in response.

"If we run into him, we'll probably have to fight him. I hope you know that." Hikari said.

"We might not last too long against him, but at least it'll be an interesting fight." her cousin replied. Kouen was unsure of the whole thing, but decided that his teammates knew best for now.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Three young Konoha shinobi were walking out of the examination room. All three were anxious about the upcoming second exam, and they couldn't wait to show how strong they had gotten.

"So, you guys excited about the next exam?" one boy asked. He had spiky, dark blue hair and vivid green eyes. He wore a red short sleeved jacket over a yellow undershirt, with black fingerless gloves on each hand. He wore the common blue zori sandals of a shinobi, along with black sweatpants. He wore a black headband around his forehead, proudly displaying his village symbol.

"Of course we are Taiyou." his female teammate replied. She had shoulder length blonde hair and light green eyes. She wore a pink sleeveless shirt with white shorts and black knee high boots. The symbol of Mars was sewn into her back. A black leather belt was wrapped around her waist, which a fanny pack was attached to. Fishnet coverings adorned her arms, and her village symbol was emblazoned upon the upper right portion of her breast.

"Who wouldn't be excited about this? We're in the Chunin Exams. This is a big step up in our ninja careers." the other boy said. He had auburn hair, going down the nape of his neck, reaching shoulder length and deep forest green eyes. He wore an olive long sleeved jacket over a dark orange shirt with matching cargo pants. A similarly colored headband was wrapped around his forehead.

"I hope you two are ready, Natoyo, Aki." Taiyou replied.

"Again, naturally." Natoyo replied.

"Bring it on." Aki said, cracking his knuckles.

"Do you think Aoba-sensei knows where Area 44 is?" the bluenette boy asked. His teammates shrugged while shooting him a 'why-would-we-know' look.

"He should, but he's a bit aloof and somewhat out there, so maybe not..." Aki admitted.

"Well, either way, we'll get there and show everyone exactly what Konoha is made of!" Natoyo exclaimed excitedly.

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Naruto had taken a temporary break from the spotlight (in the form of inquisitive Genin wanting to know how he got so strong) and was currently sitting under the shade of a large sakura tree. It had been so long since he was able to relax and not have to worry about the problems he faced. Now he was just Uzumaki Naruto. An ordinary kid.

He was nearly drifting to sleep when suddenly his senses flared up. He sat up quickly and turned around, facing the direction where the chakra source was located.

"Whose there?" he asked. Slowly, Hinata emerged from the brush. He blinked in slight surprise.

"Hinata-chan? What are you doing here?" he asked. She tented her fingers nervously

"Um.....I saw that you were b-being annoyed by the o-other Genin, s-so I thought I w-would come to see if you were okay....." she stated.

"Oh.....If you were anyone else, I probably would've chased them off. Do you wanna sit here with me?" he asked. She blushed feverishly before nodding and sitting next to her crush. _'Oh my God I'm sitting next to Naruto-kun! Okay Hinata, just don't faint, no matter how dreamy his smile is or how gorgeous his eyes are, or.......' _Her mental pep-talk was not working in the slightest.

Naruto decided to strike up conversation with the young heiress. He may not have known her all that well, but he was willing to make a few new friends during the exams.

"So, how have you been doing in the exams?" he asked.

"W-Well, we've all made it t-to the second exam, so that's a good thing." she replied.

"I definitely wouldn't want to run into you during the exam!" Naruto proclaimed. Hinata frowned and looked down. Did he really not like her? Had she done something to offend him?

"I'm pretty sure if we met, we'd have to fight and I really don't want to fight you of all people." he continued. She perked up immediately, with a hopeful gleam in her eyes.

"R-Really?" she asked. He glanced at her quizzically before smiling.

"I'd rather fight my own teammates before fighting you!" he said happily. She smiled and giggled lightly. He smiled warmly as well. _'She has a really cute laugh.' _he thought.

"Hey, after the second exam, you wanna hang out sometime?" he asked.

"That would be nice. I would love to." she replied. She congratulated herself for not stuttering. Naruto stood up from his spot, turned to her and extended his hand.

"C'mon, let's go to the exam together." he said smiling. She smiled as well and took his hand. He pulled her up from the ground and together they headed for Area 44. Little did they realize, they held hands the entire way there.

(Current Day: Training Area #44; the Forest of Death)

Anko stood at the main gate, the Genin participants spread out in front of her. Oh, if they only knew how torturous the experience would be, they would probably back out now. Except for that one blonde kid. He would probably go in there. Then again, he'd convince everyone else to go in there too.

Okay, so maybe they wouldn't back down.

"Alright, listen up you maggots! This is the training area numbered forty-four here in Konoha. Codenamed: the Forest of Death." she announced.

"Geesh, what a drag....." Shikamaru mumbled. The Rookie Nine had grouped together, yet they lacked two certain members.

"Where is Hinata? She's never late." Kiba said, concerned for his frail teammate.

"And Naruto's nowhere to be seen." Sakura added.

"Hey guys! Sorry we're late!" Speak of the devil.....

The young blonde and Hyuga heiress came up to the ground, with Hinata blushing slightly and Naruto smiling his foxy grin. Some of the other Genin raised an eyebrow in question.

"Um....where were you guys?" Kiba asked.

"Just hanging out." Naruto replied.

"Really? Just _'hanging out?'_" Ino asked, eying their intertwined fingers. Both Genin looked down, turned an interesting shade of crimson and released their grip, causing all witnessing to burst into laughter (except Shino and Sasuke).

"Ah, leave it to Naruto to keep everyone entertained." Shikamaru said, still smirking slightly.

"I thought it was cute! They would make a cute couple!" Ino protested, making the two turn an even deeper shade of red. Their attention was once more garnered by the proctor, who proceeded to explain all the rules and regulations regarding the exam.

Team 7 received a Heaven Scroll, and now must obtain an Earth Scroll within the allotted time and return to the tower in the center of the forest.

Naruto and his team waited outside their designated gate, anticipating the upcoming battles they were sure to face. He knew that, in some way shape or form, he would find the other Jinchuriki sometime during this exam. They were there. He knew it. He just didn't know who they were. The bell rang out across the field and the gates opened. As soon as they opened, each team sped into the forest, hoping to gain an early advantage over the others.

For Naruto and his team, they would never be the same.

(Later: Forest of Death)

So far so good. No enemies as of yet. Naruto had been scanning the surrounding area annually with his chakra sensory capabilities in order to prepare for a counterstrike against possible attackers.

Sasuke and Sakura were lasting with his temporary chakra boost, but it would not last much longer. They were already showing signs of fatigue once more. They needed to find a safe shelter for the night and quick, otherwise they would be in no shape to fight against anyone.

Walking through a clearing, his senses suddenly flared up. Something was coming.

"Guys, get down!" he shouted, ducking under a massive gale of wind that shook the entire clearing. His teammates had taken cover at the last minute, avoiding the deadly attack. As soon as the winds subsided, Naruto stood up and glared at their attacker.

"Whoever you are, you better come out now or I'll be forced to make you!" he threatened. A dark, evil laughter rang through the trees, making the Genin of Team 7 shiver due to the chill it brought.

"I suppose I could play with you a bit before I get to business." the voice said. As the Genin emerged from his hiding place, Naruto knew that this was no ordinary Genin.

"What are you?" he asked quietly under his breath, his eyes wide.

"My name is Orochimaru. I hope you're ready to die." he replied. The blonde took a step back in surprise, _'O-Orochimaru!?! One of the Sannin and an S-Rank criminal from Konoha! What is he doing here?!?!' _he mentally shouted. _**'I dunno kit, but if something isn't done soon, we're toast!'**_ Kyuubi agreed. _'Any bright ideas?'_ _**'You're the strategist! You come up with something!' **__'Oh real mature ya damned hairball!' _

Orochimaru bit his thumb and pressed it down lightly on the ground. In a puff of vapor, a gigantic snake appeared, with him riding on the head. The three gawked at the monstrosity before them.

"How are we supposed to fight that?" Sasuke asked.

"I dunno." Sakura replied. Naruto stepped out before them, his back turned to his teammates.

"You two get as far away from here as you can. I'll hold off snake breath over here." he said.

"You dobe, there's no way that you could-" Sasuke attempted to rebuttal, but Naruto's fierce glare stunned him into silence.

"That wasn't a request, it was an order! Now GO!" he shouted forcefully. His teammates were disturbed by this sudden show of aggression. Their teammate was becoming more and more of an enigma everyday.

"....Right. You better not die on us, dobe." the stoic Uchiha replied as he and Sakura fled. Naruto glared up at Orochimaru, his eyes beginning to change color. This was going to be a very difficult fight.

Orochimaru noticed his main target escaping and sighed. Why must the prey always try to run from their fate? Oh well, what fun would it be if they lied down and died right away? However, before he could pursue the Uchiha, a powerful kick found itself in his gut.

He flew off his perch, righting himself in midair before landing on the back of his summoned snake. He glared at his attacker to find the little blonde dobe standing where he once was. Now, however, there was a noticeable difference.

His hair was more disheveled, almost as if he had been fighting all day. The nails on both of his hands had extended to claw length. The whisker-like birthmarks on his cheeks had become more defined and thickened than before. However, most striking were the boy's now blood-red eyes. Orochimaru put two-and-two together. _'This must be the Kyuubi brat I've heard so much about. Hehe, maybe this shall be more interesting that I thought.'_ he thought.

"I don't know what a snake-in-the-grass like you is doing back here, Orochimaru, but I will guarantee the failure of your plot." Naruto said seriously. The snake Sannin laughed malignantly at this.

"You? Defeat me? I'm afraid that you're quite mistaken. You're welcome to try if you wish." he replied. The blonde clenched his fists and jumped down towards the traitorous ninja, only to have his target disappear from his sights. Being caught off-guard, Orochimaru was able to slam the boy into the ground below with a swift kick to the back of the head.

As Naruto sat up from the attack, his opponent had regained control of his summon.

"I would love to stay and play with you for a little longer, but I'm afraid that I must attain to more....pressing issues." he said, glancing in the direction Sasuke and Sakura had fled.

"I won't let you get away!" Naruto declared.

"I beg to differ. Perhaps you'd prefer my pet instead? He gets so restless sometimes that I just don't know what to do with him." he replied. The snake roared loudly as Orochimaru pursued the other members of Team 7.

Before Naruto could prevent him from leaving, the snake charged forward, it's gargantuan jaw threatening to consume him. He flipped away at the last second, avoiding the snake's mouth. It quickly recoiled from the miss and leaped at the boy again.

He catapulted himself into the air using a fallen tree as a springboard, avoiding the snake once again. _'Time to test out that training!'_ he thought. He began to focus the Kyuubi's demonic chakra to his hands. Soon, they began to glow in a soft crimson glow, coating them like a glove.

He flipped several times in a frontward direction, building momentum for his attack. Upon getting into close enough range, he brought his chakra-empowered claw down onto the snake's head, shredding it from the rest of it's body. The corpse disappeared in the same manner if had appeared.

"Okay, that takes care of that. Now, just to find Sakura and Sasuke." he said aloud. Knowing time was of the essence, he rushed to find his teammates before Orochimaru did. If he wasn't in time, then was all Hell gonna break loose.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Sasuke and Sakura were standing across from Orochimaru, who had appeared only a moment earlier. Both were fearing for their teammate and themselves. Sasuke, however, was not about to let this sicko kill him without a good fight. Preparing to battle, he took the basic stance for the Uchiha 'Inceptor Fist' style of taijutsu. The mysterious Genin only chuckled in response.

"I'm afraid that won't work. Now, let us behold the glory that will be your deaths!" he said. Reaching up to his eyes, they suddenly changed to something akin to demonic.

That's when it happened.

They never saw it coming. Suddenly, the two Genin were watching themselves being hit, their blood splattering unto the cold ground around them. They watched in horrid shock as the images of their own corpses falling over, kunai implanted in various places, mostly in the chest. Suddenly, the image shifted to their enemy throwing two kunai at their foreheads. They were unable to block, unable to scream, unable to think, before they felt the cold metal pierce their skin.

The illusion over, both Genin fell limply to the ground, their eyes shadowed over by the hair. They were both in shock, speechless after that display of malicious intent.

Orochimaru licked his lips in anticipation. Now that the Uchiha's will was broken, administering the curse seal would be that much easier.

"Sasuke! Sakura!" the shouts of the blonde Jinchuriki irritated the Sannin. This boy was becoming a real pest.

Naruto landed in the clearing next to his two paralyzed teammates. He knew they were put under some kind of genjutsu, but otherwise they were unharmed. He glared up at Orochimaru, a massive killer intent coming off in waves.

"You must have a death wish." he muttered coldly.

"Persistent little brat, aren't we? Well then, I'll just have to fix that!" Orochimaru said, charging forward at the blonde. He prepared to duel the older ninja when suddenly Sasuke caught his opponent's fist. Both parties were confused by this movement.

"How can you move? That genjutsu should've......" Orochimaru then took notice of the Uchiha's eyes. Now, instead of their normal obsidian black, they were a deep, reptilian green.

"**Pathetic. Now, go away."** he said in a dark voice. With a quick flick of the wrist, he threw Orochimaru onto the ground thirty yards away from the boys.

Naruto was in shock at this action. His teammate wasn't himself, that much was obvious. Someone – or something – was controlling him.

"S-Sasuke......w-what are you....." he stammered to get out. 'Sasuke' turned to him, quite pleased to see him.

"Ah, Kyuubi. I've been meaning to have a rematch with you." he replied. Upon hearing the name of his inner demon, Naruto paled. Suddenly, Sakura rose from the ground, her eyes still shadowed over.

"Sakura! Get away from him! That's not Sasuke!" he exclaimed.

"**I know that's not Sasuke."** she replied in a voice that chilled him to the bone. His eyes widened further upon seeing Sakura's normal emerald green eyes transformed into the dark pink that now glared at him in hatred.

"W-Who are you guys?" Naruto asked, his mind running through the possibilities. 'Sasuke' and 'Sakura' smirked evilly.

"**Aw, you can't remember you're old playmates Hachibi and Shichibi?"** 'Sasuke' asked, sounding offended. A wave of shock and fear swept through him. His mission had started. Just not the way he had foreseen it.

"Sasuke......Sakura.......they're Jinchuriki.......like me......" he stated in shock.

"**At least he has a brain."** 'Sakura' commented. Suddenly, the blonde glared at them fiercely.

"Release them! Unless you wish to suffer the wrath of the Nine Tails, you'd best do as I say!" Naruto demanded. _**'Kit, you can't control my powers that well yet! Don't forget we still have Orochimaru to deal with too!'**_ Kyuubi mentally chided him. _'I know what I'm doing.' _he replied.

Orochimaru rose from behind the two possessed teens, his anger now seething. No little brat was going to get away with that, no matter who they were!

"You little brat! I'll make your death long and insufferable!" he threatened. 'Sasuke' just scoffed at him.

"**If it isn't the snake-in-the-grass. I'm afraid your 'precious' Uchiha isn't here at the moment, but I'll make sure to give him a message after I send you to Hell."** he replied. Naruto had just about enough of this back-and-forth.

"I don't care who you are! If you're threatening my friends, I'll have no choice but to kick all your asses!" he exclaimed, his anger at a boiling point. 'Sakura' turned to him.

"**I hope you're prepared, Kyuubi. My vengeance is at hand."** she stated. Orochimaru glared at the three Genin before him.

"Before this battle is through, you will all lie dead before me!" he boasted. Naruto took an offensive stance, ready to battle against his friends and enemies.

"I will free Sasuke and Sakura, and I will defeat you, Orochimaru! You can count on that!" he exclaimed.

"**If you're in such a hurry to die, I'm accommodate you!" **'Sasuke' said. 'Sakura' glared at him harshly.

"**Sorry reptile-breath, but Kyuubi is mine. You can have fun with the snake."** she replied.

"**I don't think so."** he said, returning her glare. Naruto knew that this was going to be the toughest fight of his life. But, this was a battle he knew he could not afford to lose!


	3. The Mysterious Sound

**Jinchuriki of the Leaf Chap. 3**

Rika and her team froze as they sensed the familiar sensation of demonic chakra activating. They scanned the area discreetly, attempting to pinpoint the exact location. Takuya nodded and pointed to the west, where they promptly headed. As they sailed through the trees, Takato turned to the others.

"Do you think it's that kid?" he asked. His friends shrugged.

"I haven't the slightest idea, but in the end does it matter who is it as long as they're a Jinchuriki?" Rika retorted. The crimson haired boy sighed. She had a valid point.

Suddenly, two new waves of demonic energy made themselves known, forcing the group to stop in their tracks. They all wore a similar wide eyed expression.

"Three activations simultaneously after each other? That's nearly unheard of....." Takuya said in wonder.

"The first chakra has to be related somehow." Rika offered.

"This is too convenient to be a coincidence. We may be fighting three Jinchuriki soon." Takato mentioned. They nodded at this possibility. Now would be a good time to check on their 'tenants.'

Rika looked towards her inner demon and smiled. She stood in the middle of a mystic forest. Small fireflies surrounded her as she looked up into the mid-evening skies.

"So, you ready to kick some ass, Kisaki?" she asked. Kisaki smiled warmly.

"**Rika-chan, you know me. Of course I am."** he replied.

Takato grinned broadly at his inner demon. He knew that he was itching for a good fight. He was inside a large cave coated in silver and steel. It gleamed in the small amount of sunlight available.

"I hope you're ready for this, Kikai-san." he stated.

"**You better believe it!"** Kikai replied.

Takuya cracked his knuckles as he turned to his inner demon. He stood at the bottom of a canyon of some kind, where the sunlight barely touched down upon the ground.

"Alright. You ready to go, Maruishi-chan?" he asked. Maruishi nodded in response.

"**Yes. Just don't be overly reckless."** she said.

Rika turned to her teammates, both ready to fight. She nodded in confirmation before they sped off through the trees once more, now more determined than before to find their mysterious Jinchuriki.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Masato and his team looked around for the source of that strange chakra they had just felt. They didn't know why, but it felt so familiar to them.

"I wonder what that was anyway." Umi pondered aloud. For a moment, Masato could've sworn that his friend's eyes had turned a turquoise blue in color, but chalked it up to his imagination.

"If we're meant to know, we'll find out eventually. If not, then it'll be just another unsolved mystery of life." Naito responded.

"Naito has a point. We should focus on getting through the exam first before going on a wild goose chase." Masato offered. Umi sighed and relented to her friend's logic.

"Alright. Let's keep going." she urged. The group headed towards the east, where they sensed a lot of chakra being used.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Taiyou stopped suddenly and turned around, his eyes scanning the area. He could've sworn he felt an enemy presence.

"Did you guys feel that?" he asked his teammates.

"That weird chakra? Yeah, but I don't see anyone around here." Natoyo offered.

"We should still keep our guards up. You never know in this kind of place." Aki replied. Taiyou nodded. Flashing a quick series of hand signs, he began to activate his Kekkei Genkai.

"Atsusagan!" he called. His eyes changed from their normal green to a light orange in color, with his pupils becoming nothing more than a thin outline within his eye. With his heat-seeing eyes, he was able to detect a fair amount of chakra being used in the distance.

"Over this way! C'mon, let's go!" he announced. His teammates nodded and followed the young shinobi towards the fighting.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Subaru drew a kunai from his pouch and held it in a defensive position to fend off his enemy, but none came. Kouen and Hikari were similarly confused.

"You guys felt that chakra too, right?" Hikari asked. The two boys nodded in response.

"This is weird. Some kind of massive battle must be going on for this much chakra to be released." Kouen said, marveling at the sheer amount of power being released. Subaru turned to his cousin quickly.

"Hikari. You know what to do." he said. She nodded in response while making a hand sign.

"Divine Vision." she said in barely over a whisper. Using a special genjutsu, she scanned out into the further out areas of the forest. A flash of chakra caught her vision as she pointed to the north.

"This way!" she said. The boys nodded and followed their purple haired teammate, her vision leading the way.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Shikamaru and the rest of Team 10 looked up, suddenly worried about the massive chakra distortion in the air. There was some kind of massive brawl occurring so soon in the exam?

"You guys felt that?" Shikamaru asked his teammates. Ino nodded slowly while Chouji seemed nervous about the chakra's feeling. To be honest with himself, he was nervous about it as well. It was not human.

"What do you think we should do?" Ino asked him.

"It's troublesome, but I think we should try to find this battle going on. If we're lucky, we can pick up a Heaven Scroll and be on our merry way without having to put much effort into it." he explained. His teammates nodded in concurrence with the plan.

"Alright, let's go!" Chouji said. The trio headed towards the strange chakra, hoping to gain off the spoils of the battle.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Hinata looked behind her quickly and expectantly. There it was again. That strange chakra. It was almost as if it was following her, beckoning her to follow it to God knows where. Kiba and Shino noticed their teammate's trance like state.

"Yo, Hinata, are you okay?" Kiba asked, generally concerned. Suddenly, the young Hyuga heiress broke into a sprint and ran the opposite way, surprising her friends.

"What the!? Hinata, where are you going?!" the young Inuzuka shouted. Akamaru whimpered slightly, already missing the presence of his comrade.

"Quick. We must give pursuit." Shino said calmly, chasing after her with Kiba and nin-dog Akamaru close behind.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Neji, Lee and Tenten froze in their tracks, their eyes wide open. That chakra......there was nothing normal about it.

"My friends, did you feel that chakra? It was faint, but even I was able to detect it." Lee admitted. This surprised both of his teammates. Lee wasn't able to use chakra, so for him to sense it meant that this was big. Really big.

"I wonder who it is that has this mysterious chakra." Tenten asked.

"I'm not sure, but I believe it would be in our best interest to find out. We shall not engage unless necessary." Neji stated plainly. Activating his Byakugan, he quickly caught onto the trail of chakra residue in the air.

"Come now, follow me." he coaxed his teammates, who nodded and disappeared behind him into the trees.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Gaara found himself trembling in excitement at the feeling of such chakra. Temari and Kankuro felt it as well and were baffled. Their were other Jinchuriki at this exam? That would only mean bad news for them.

"There are others here. I will find them and feed them to my sand. That is what Mother wants." Gaara said in a phlegmatic tone. As he walked past his siblings, they smirked to themselves.

"I don't know who those poor saps are, but they probably won't live to see the end of the exam." Kankuro said.

"No one has ever fought Gaara and lived, and I don't think that's going to change anytime soon." Temari agreed. They followed their brother, who was leading them to the source of the demonic chakra.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Hiashi burst into Sarutobi's office in a rush. His breathing was heavy and the look on the old man's face told him that he already knew. He had felt the demonic chakra as well.

"Hokage-sama, I take it you felt those chakra signatures as well?" he asked.

"I'm certain half of the village felt it. Two more Jinchuriki have been discovered, and at the worse possible time." Sarutobi said regretfully.

"Do we know who they are?" Hiashi asked.

"I cannot determine for now. However, you can be certain that Naruto will be able to handle things." the Hokage replied. The Hyuga head nodded and looked out the window towards the Forest of Death. _'Hinata......Neji.......please be careful.' _he thought.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Naruto drew three kunai from his pouch and threw one at each of his targets. 'Sasuke' – who Naruto figured was Hachibi – easily sidestepped his while 'Sakura' – or Shichibi as the blonde guessed – flipped back to avoid it. Orochimaru knocked it away with his own kunai, then came at the blonde with an amazing speed. His fist found his whiskered cheek in a matter of seconds.

Naruto flew across the field, landing on the far side of it before skidding to a halt. Before the Sannin could follow through with his assault, a mass of flames surrounded him, dancing around him in a mighty conflagration. He looked up to see Hachibi staring down at him smirking evilly. Orochimaru released several snakes from his sleeves, which launched themselves up at the possessed Uchiha.

Suddenly, there was a flash of pink before the snakes were dissolved in a mystic blaze. Shichibi hovered above them, floating on wings made of her demonic chakra. Hachibi glared at her with malicious intent.

"**Damn turkey, time for you to fry!"** he said. He effortlessly shot a stream of fire from his mouth to her position, hoping to make contact. Shichibi only smirked slightly.

"**Is this really all you have? Pathetic."** she gloated. With a flap of her wings, she created a mighty tempest which blew the flames from existence as if it were nothing more than a candle. However, a snake wrapped itself around her ankle and brought her down to earth, slamming her into the ground with tremendous force.

Orochimaru recalled his summoned creature and turned his attention to Hachibi, who had left his perch in the canopy of the trees. He brought up his leg to kick him, but he caught it. That did not deter the Jinchuriki, who twisted his body to bring around his other leg. Orochimaru ducked under the attack, but failed to see the fist waiting for him upon his movement. The snake Sannin was sent into the air by the chakra-powered attack.

Just as Hachibi prepared for his follow-up strike, Naruto suddenly emerged from underground and drove his fist into his jaw. The possessed Uchiha was knocked into the air, where two Naruto clones were waiting for him. Both charged their fists with the Kyuubi's chakra, making them glow crimson red. Hachibi was unable to do anything to prevent the double demonic punch that landed straight into his gut. He rocketed back down to earth, creating a large crater upon impact.

The blonde Genin drew several shuriken from his pouch and threw them at the airborne Shichibi, who effortlessly glided past the stars of death. She formed a bolt of flames in her hand and threw it at him in a hasty fashion. Naruto jumped over the flames, barely missing the attack, then created a group of shadow clones to help him fight.

Shichibi smirked as the blonde replicated himself. Did he honestly think that would help him win? Suddenly, snakes emerged from the ground and threatened to bite her ankle. She took to the air to avoid them, but found herself in sight of Hachibi's descending attack.

Naruto grimaced as he saw the large fireball falling to earth. If that made contact, then Shichibi – and therefore Sakura – would most like die. He could not let that happen! He quickly went through a series of hand seals, his heartbeat racing. _'I hope this elemental training paid off as well!'_ he thought. Upon finishing the seal set, he glanced upward at the two Jinchuriki.

"Wind Style: Whirlwind Tempest!" he called. A fierce and powerful wind was summoned, wiping the flames from existence and blowing the two demons against the trees with a tremendous thud.

Naruto could not admire his work for long, as Orochimaru appeared behind him and threatened to decapitate him. He flipped back, avoiding the Sannin's sword, and created another group of shadow clones to replace the others previously destroyed by his wind attack.

Orochimaru blocked a kick from one of the clones and destroyed it with a quick slash. Pivoting his body, he cut through five more clones, each one dissipating with a satisfying pop. However, his small victory was short-lived, as a clone's fist made contact with his skull with great force, knocking him from his feet. Suddenly, three more clones kicked him into the air, each one kicking higher than the other. As he ascended, the real Naruto awaited him with his leg extended. Without warning, the blonde brought his kick down on his target's head, knocking him into the ground.

Naruto landed next to the Sannin's form, only to find a pile of mud in his place. _'Shit, a substitution!'_ he mentally cursed. He felt his current target appear behind him and turned his head in horror as the Sannin brought his blade through his abdomen.

"Die." he muttered in an eerily calm voice. Suddenly, in a puff of vapor, a small wooden log was where Naruto once stood, the cold steel pierced through the wood.

Before he could pursue the blonde, a rain of fire came from above, blocking his path. Glancing upward, he spied Hachibi and Shichibi coming at him in a rage.

"**Die you worthless scum!" **Hachibi shouted upon spewing more flames from his mouth. The snake Sannin disappeared underground as the attack sailed over his head. Before he could move, however, Shichibi slammed her fist into the ground, creating a large fissure that cracked the very earth in two. The Sannin found himself trapped in the demonic girl's trap.

"**Time to finish this pathetic excuse for a human."** she said deadly. Suddenly, thin chakra threads wrapped around her and pinned her to a tree. She looked around in a rage, her pink eyes scanning the area. Hachibi smirked as he clasped his hands together for his attack. Roaring fire emerged from his mouth, trailing down the threads towards the entrapped female. The attack seared their target, burning her skin to a dark red while forcing her through the trunk of the tree she was pinned to.

Hachibi admired his work from his perch. One down, two to go. The battle was in his favor. However, this was changed when a certain blonde boy put a kunai to his neck.

"Move and I'll kill you." he threatened. The dragon Bijuu scoffed.

"**You do that and your teammate dies as well."** he replied. The grip on the kunai only tightened, surprising the demon.

"**You would sacrifice your teammate's life to win a battle?"** he asked in a shocked tone. Naruto glared at him, with blue meeting green in the center.

"No. I would sacrifice a teammate to save him from the likes of you." he replied. The pure malice and integrity behind the blonde's voice shocked him. Never had he met a human like this.

Shichibi rose from the aftermath of the dragon's attack, thoroughly ticked off. However, before she could make a movement, two clones of the blonde boy grabbed her, with one holding a kunai to her neck.

"Gotcha." he muttered, her eyes wide with shock. How had she fallen for such a trick?

"**You really plan on killing me? Even if it means losing your friend?"** she asked in an incredulous tone. No benevolent person would ever kill their teammates. It was unheard of.

That's when she felt the metal of the kunai pressed against her neck.

He was being serious. If she made one false move, she would lose her life – and her head.

"I'd rather lose her to this knife than you." he replied.

Naruto's mind was racing at the predicament he had placed himself into to. He had trapped both of his possessed teammates with his shadow clones, but Orochimaru was still a major threat to his plan. Peaking over the bushes, he saw the snake Sannin staring up at the scene in the trees. It was obvious he was waiting for his chance to strike all of them down in a single blow.

He pondered his options carefully. There was a very slim chance he would land a strike on Orochimaru with his guard down, but he wasn't a Sannin by title only. He had the skill to back it up. He crossed that option off the list.

Concerning his teammates, he knew he had to find a way to defeat them without hurting them too much. As long as they thought he was seriously going to kill them, they would most likely cooperate. Now, though, he faced quite a conundrum. How was he supposed to reseal their demons? He had no knowledge of sealing jutsu, and he didn't think knocking them unconscious would be of any assistance.

"Dammit, I need to think this through carefully. I cannot afford to screw this up." he quietly chided himself. He should not have done that.

Orochimaru threw several kunai at the tree he was hidden behind. As soon as the metal knives embedded themselves within the wooden bark, Naruto returned it with his own volley of kunai. The Sannin easily weaved his body through the rain of metal, coming closer to his target with each step.

"You can't honestly believe that you can defeat me with this level of mediocre skill!" he boasted. Before the blonde could guard effectively, he had him in his sights. With a powerful movement, he thrust his knee into the young boy's gut. He spit out the crimson contents of his mouth on reflex before being punched square in the jaw. A deafening crack was heard as his body collided with the side of a tree.

The shadow clones holding the two demons were dispelled once the boy was knocked around by the snake Sannin. They glared at each other, then down at Orochimaru.

"**Perhaps you and I should put aside our differences for now."** Hachibi suggested.

"**I believe you are correct. With Kyuubi most likely gone, we have no quarrel with one another. Now, we have a snake to feed upon."** Shichibi replied. They jumped down from the canopy of the trees, preparing to strike the snake Sannin with every ounce of their fury.

(Inside Naruto's Mindscape)

The blonde lay on the floor, nearly unconscious. He looked up at the large fox in it's marble cage and smiled slightly.

"Man.......did I ever mess up....." he chuckled.

"**It's not the end of the world. There is still a chance for you to win this battle."** Kyuubi mentioned. Naruto raised an eyebrow in curiosity. What was he talking about? This battle was as good as lost from the beginning, yet he had fought it anyway. Even now a clear answer to his motives eluded him. Yet the fox's claim did pique his interest.

"How do you mean?" he asked in a curious tone. The demonic Bijuu glanced down at his container as the boy stood to listen to him.

"**If you call upon enough of my chakra, you will enter a state called the 'Spirit Medium.' In this state, my powers are amplified, and more of my abilities are granted to you without any training needed. However, you tend to tire quickly while in this form, as there has been no proper way to channel all the access energy. You'll feel the sting of it later, but that is then and this is now. If you don't do something now, you may not have a 'then.'"** he explained. Naruto agreed eagerly, not entertaining the idea of dying in these woods.

"Alright, but how do I access it?" he asked quickly. The Kyuubi shrugged.

"**My previous container called upon this form by becoming enraged. However, that did not end well for either party involved. You, however, may be able to call upon this form by merely summoning my chakra."** he guessed. Naruto sighed dejectedly.

"Well, we'll never know if we don't try. I need to be sent to the conscious plain before Orochimaru kills them – or they kill each other." he said.

"**Yes. You must defeat Orochimaru in this battle! It may very well determine the future of Konoha."** Kyuubi warned as the young boy faded away in front of him.

(Current Day: Forest of Death)

The three combatants were furiously exchanging blows, with Orochimaru fending off the two Jinchuriki. Neither side was attaining any advantage, as both were beginning to dawdle in their movements. _'My body will not be able to handle much more of this. I must end this!'_ Orochimaru thought.

Before any moves could be made, an ardent presence made itself known. Waves of energy were being expelled in high quantities. The snake Sannin turned to see the face of he who had such power.

He found Hell to have been unleashed.

The blonde gaki they had all thought dead was now standing in the middle of a fierce torrent of crimson chakra. It spiraled around his crouching form, the energy giving him increasing power with every passing second. He raised his head, revealing crimson eyes that screamed for bloodshed. An inhuman roar echoed throughout the forest, piercing the very heavens.

"**I'll destroy you!"** he shouted in animosity. Before a protest could be uttered, the blonde had appeared underneath Orochimaru and delivered a powerful kick to the Sannin's chin. The older shinobi rocketed into the air, the force of his chakra far too great to handle. Naruto appeared above him and slammed his fist into his gut, forcing him back to the ground. A large crater was formed upon impact, with the foundation of the forest itself shaken at the sheer force the attack was dealt with.

Orochimaru climbed out of the rubble of his landing, coughing up blood from his internal injuries. This boy had the ability to kill him! A damn Genin! There was no way that the mighty Orochimaru was going to die against an impudent brat like this! Though it pained him, he knew he must retreat, lest death be his punishment. He glared at the three Jinchuriki before disappearing in a flurry of leaves.

"One day.......I will have my vengeance!" he voice echoed as he disappeared.

Naruto turned to Hachibi and Shichibi, whom both seemed excited about the show of his powers.

"**This shall be an interesting fight."** the dragon demon said.

"**Release my comrades or you shall suffer worse than all before you."** Naruto stated in a dark, serious tone.

"**Your lies do not faze us in the lightest, Kyuubi. We all know that you will die here if you battle us alone." **Shichibi retorted. Suddenly, Naruto was behind her, ready for the kill. She ducked under his claw, her scalp saved from his wrath. However, he grabbed her by her hair and went to knock her unconscious.

"**Return from whence you came, wench!"** he said. Shichibi had other plans. Grabbing a kunai from her pouch, she severed her hair from her head and rolled to the side, dodging Naruto's fist. The severed locks of bubblegum colored hair were swept away in the breeze, leaving her with her hair to her shoulders.

"**I believe this fight is not yet over."** she replied spitefully. Hachibi appeared behind Naruto, ready to strike at him with his claws. The blonde jumped back from his teammate's attack, only to be met with Shichibi's fist. He flew into the air, righting himself mid-flight, and landed in a crouching position on a branch above his targets.

"**Come back here and fight like a true Bijuu!"** Hachibi shouted. Naruto smirked at his teammate's arrogance. Possessed or not, he still had an over-inflated ego.

"**I'm afraid that this battle is over. You lose."** he stated plainly. The two demons glared at him with daggers in their eyes. How dare he proclaim himself the victor when they were still able to fight! The boy must have a death wish.

Naruto cupped his hands together in front of him, focusing his crimson chakra to his palms. Soon, a mass of energy began to take shape, with his hands cradling the attack. Upon completion, the technique had the appearance of a small orb with a large outer shell and a smaller inner core. The outer shell was a dark red in color, while the inner core became lighter the further it went it.

"**Demonic Art: Crimson Sphere!"** he called to the heavens. He jumped down from his perch, aiming the attack at the two Jinchuriki in front of him. Shichibi, summoning her wings, flew up to meet him in the air.

"**Prepare to die!"** she shouted. As she closed the distance, Naruto pulled his fist back and threw the sphere at her like a baseball. She glided to the side, but failed to see Hachibi standing in the target range. His eyes widened upon sight of it. There was no chance of dodging either. He had lost.

"**I-Impossible!"** he shouted before the attack made contact. In an explosion of red chakra, Sasuke's body flew through the air and landed on the ground below with a soft thud. The Uchiha was unconscious and shallowly breathing, but he would live.

Shichibi stared in disbelief at her mistake. However, that's when she remembered Naruto was still there. She glanced up towards him to see a second sphere prepared to slam into her. Her eyes wide with shock, she found herself unable to move before she suffered the same fate as her partner. She howled in pain as the attack connected. Sakura's body was thrown against a tree, splintering it to the point of breaking. Her wings shattered upon impact, becoming nothing more than particles in the wind. Her unconscious form fell to the ground in a heap, herself in a similar condition as her crush.

Naruto felt the chakra recede back into it's prison as he approached the broken forms of his teammates. Sunlight began to shine through the thick forestation above. Knowing that the following days were to be long and difficult, he summoned two shadow clones to help carry his injured teammates while he scouted for a safe refuge for the night.

(A few moments later)

Takato was a little disappointed when the clearing was void of people, but the environment said otherwise. Upon observation, it was almost as though a war had torn through the area remorselessly.

"This place is in shambles." Rika stated in utter disbelief.

"Whoever was fighting here made a mess of the place, that's for sure." Takuya remarked, glancing at the hole scorched through one of the trees.

"This was no ordinary battle." Takato said. It was obvious to anyone with half a brain. The damage done to the clearing was not something you would normally see Genin capable off. This was the work of several shinobi ranked Jonin or higher. He thanked God that they would not fight against those Jinchuriki, for it was obvious that they were far stronger than they appeared.

"Come on. I sensed their chakra going this way. Let's go." Rika said calmly to her team. The brothers nodded in response and followed her towards their destination.

(Later that night: Forest of Death)

Hinata looked around frantically. She knew it was here! It had to be! She would not stop until she found that chakra! Something deep inside her very being yearned for that feeling, the comforting sensation that came with it.

Kiba and Shino marveled at her sudden vitality. Usually, a three hour training session would leave the Hyuga heiress drained of chakra and in need of rest. Now, however, she had been running around at top speed – with her Byakugan active the whole time – for almost twice as long. They wondered what in the world could possibly motivate their normally timid and frail teammate into such a frenzy.

A cry in the night suddenly caught their attention. The trio (quartet if Akamaru is included) turned their heads at the sudden shout. Someone was getting his ass handed to him, that was for sure.

Hinata, however, was deeply concerned. There was something about that shout that seemed so familiar to her. Another shout, this one louder and more frustrated, rang out, alarming the group. Whoever this was, they were being attacked by no amateur.

Various thoughts and memories flowed through her mind, attempting to discern the owner of the shouts. One memory in particular stood out the most from the others. It was of a year prior, when they were all still academy students.

(Flashback: One Year Prior: Academy Courtyard)

Naruto threw yet another kunai at the already metal-littered trunk of the tree, only to have it bounce off of one previously implanted. With a frustrated shout, he fell to the ground, exhausted from his efforts.

Hinata watched from afar, too afraid to venture closer. With admiration sparkling in her eyes, she saw as he rose from the ground and went to impale the tree once more.

However, he tripped over his own feet due to his exhausted state. He landed on the ground with a small thud, a cry of pain escaping his throat. Out of concern for the object of her admirations, Hinata ran over to him in a panic.

"Naruto-kun, are you okay?" she asked in a rush. It took him a minute to register her voice, but upon looking up, he smiled widely.

"Oh, hey Hinata. I didn't know you were here. I was just practicing my aim, that's all. As you can see, I could use a little work." he admitted embarrassedly. Reverting back to her timid persona, Hinata looked away with a slight blush on her cheeks.

"Well, um...if you keep practicing, you'll get better at it.....so, don't give up....." she encouraged him in a soft tone. At least she wasn't stuttering, thank goodness. He gave her a thumbs up while grinning.

"Don't worry about it! I promise I'll keep training until I'm the best ninja I can be, and I never go back on my word!" he said happily. He turned away as he continued his training, with Hinata watching from the sidelines. Somehow, her presence made his training that much easier.

(End Flashback: Current Time: Forest of Death)

Her eyes widened in shock and fear as she remembered who's scream they were hearing. Just as before, she sprint in the direction of the shout, praying to any deity that would listen that it wasn't too late.

(Earlier: Forest of Death)

Naruto had set up a temporary shelter for his team. It was simplistic, but it would manage until the morning. He had tended to their more severe injuries, only to find half of them have already healed. Apparently, all Jinchuriki were gifted with accelerated healing.

Thousands of questions ran through his head, each one more confusing than the last. How did this happen? Why were they sealed with demons? What caused their inner beasts to attack? Why was Orochimaru infiltrating the exams? What did he want with Sasuke? He would have loved to know the answers.

Deciding that rest was best at the moment, he cast these questions to the inner recesses of his mind and before long he had drifted into a peaceful sleep.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

The Sound Genin watched with fervid anticipation. Their target was within sight. The meeting with Orochimaru had been.....less than pleasant. Upon appearing, the man looked as through he had been mauled with a wheat thresher. He ordered the four Genin teams in the exam to attack and destroy Uzumaki Naruto and his team.

Of these twelve, half were reluctant to follow through with these orders. These six were wronged by Orochimaru and forced into his service in one way, shape or form and all resented him with a fiery passion. The other six, however, were stronger than they were, so they were forced to put up with it.

Now, these six were sitting and conversing among themselves.

"Do we really want to try this? These kids apparently beat Orochimaru all on their own. We'd be committing suicide if we went against them." one girl complained. She had short dirty blonde hair covering her scalp and dark hazel eyes. She wore a light blue shirt with white sleeves and white shorts. Fishnets coverings adorned her arms and white knee high boots covered her legs.

"We don't want to Yuzu, but we have to. Orders are orders. Kouen and his team don't want to fight either, but they do." one boy replied. He had blue-violet hair and deep blue eyes. He wore a purple vest over a black shirt and blue jeans. Black battle gloves were fitted on each hand.

"Sanba-nii-san is correct. We haven't a choice in the matter." a similar looking girl replied. She had the same eyes and hair as her brother, with a purple hat covering her scalp. She wore a purple crop top with black shorts. Two black bands were wrapped around her wrists.

"So just like that we're giving in? What about our promises to avenge our families?" another girl asked. She had long brown hair in a ponytail and orange eyes. She wore an orange tank top with a pair of black cargo pants. A red ribbon kept her ponytail in place.

"Sayako, Niaka, you both know that we cannot do anything as of yet. We still have time. During the invasion operation, we can betray him and worry no more." the last boy stated. He had long green hair worn down and brown eyes. He wore a white and yellow short-sleeved jumpsuit with white wristbands.

"Takeshi is right. We've no need to worry at the moment. Let's just try and make it look like we care about this inane mission." the last girl said. She had long light blonde hair and deep silver eyes. She wore a white shall over a blue tube top and a pair of black shorts. She also wore fishnet coverings on her wrists and ankles.

"Okay Tomiko, we get it." Niaka said, flipping her ponytail back behind her.

"Let's just wait for the others to give the signal. Then we can just get this over with." Takeshi suggested. The others decided to listen to him and wait. Deep down, however, they were still strongly opposed to their mission. However, with no say in the matter, they had to grin and bear it.

(Concurrently: Forest of Death)

Naruto was awoken by the sound of something in the surrounding woods. His chakra senses went full circle as he scanned the area for enemies. His eyes widened in shock and fear. _'Oh my God there's twelve of them! I cannot fight twelve people at once!'_ he shouted mentally.

Brandishing a kunai, he peaked his head around the corner of the shelter to get a better view of his potential opponents, but the darkness of night hid them well. What his eyes could not see, however, his spirit could. His chakra senses had practically pinpointed the locations of his opponents.

Despite the small advantage he had, he knew it would not be smart to charge headfirst into this fight. He needed to come up with a strategy beforehand or he could very well end up killed against the numbers he faced. He knew that using Kyuubi's chakra was a necessity for this battle.

Stepping out into the open, he let loose a small wave of killer intent. Hopefully, his enemy would turn tail and flee.

"I know you're out there. If you want to fight, you'll be throwing your life away." he said in the most seriously deadly voice he could manage. He was answered with a chilling cold laugher from the darkness.

"Ah, I was hoping for a challenge and you seem strong enough to give it to me." the voice replied. Suddenly, six Sound ninja jumped out from the bushes, surrounding Naruto with no chance of escape. The blonde ninja was immediately on guard, prepared to counter any attacks they might throw at him.

"Who are you guys?" he asked. One Genin stepped forward. His head was wrapped in bandages, with some kind of shall made of straw on his back, baring some semblance to a porcupine.

"We were sent here by Orochimaru-sama to exterminate the three Jinchuriki children he fought earlier. For your transgressions against the mighty Orochimaru-sama, you will pay with your lives!" he explained.

"Dosu, you talk too much. C'mon Kin, let's show this kid what we're made of." a boy with spiky black hair said.

"Don't have to tell me twice, Zaku." a girl with long black hair replied.

"You better leave some for me." a boy with spiky purple hair interjected.

"Same goes for you, Arashi. Let me have some fun this time." a boy with short black hair said.

"Can it you two. Let's just do this already." a girl with long hot pink hair replied.

"Kegume, Kasuki, get ready." Arashi said to his teammates. Naruto glared at the six Genin in front of him.

"I won't let you harm my friends! If you even so much as lay a finger on them, I'll kill you!" he warned.

"Let's see if you have the firepower to back that up!" Kin challenged him. She threw several senbon needles, hoping to land a hit. Naruto skillfully weaved his body through the shower of needles, then threw his previously drawn kunai at her in counterstrike.

Arashi, however, blocked the shot and sped towards the blonde with amazing speed. He found no time to block as his fist was lodged into his gut, which was followed through with a powerful kick to the chest. Naruto cried out in pain as he sailed through the air.

Before he could right himself, Kegume appeared above him and slammed his large fist into the boy's face. With a frustrated shout, he was sent spiraling into the ground. Naruto quickly broke his fall, rolling along the ground to cushion the impact of the landing. Thankfully he did that, as Kegume had slammed into the spot he had occupied only seconds after he had moved.

With a powerful strike, the blonde slugged the black haired boy in the face with his fist, knocking him off his feet temporarily. Then, he noticed Zaku sliding along the ground, his hands together as if in a hand sign. The Sound boy aimed his palms at the blonde, smirking evilly.

"Slicing Sound Waves!" he called out. Compact waves of sound were launched from the air tubes in his palms, knocking Naruto into the air and against the bark of a large tree. Just as he was about to finish the blonde, however, his target disappeared in a puff of smoke. The real Naruto appeared behind him, his hands together in a hand seal.

"Wind Style: Whirlwind Tempest!" he called. The blades of wind slammed into Zaku, cutting the skin on his exposed arms and slicing the fabric of his clothing. He landed a fair distance away from the boy, rolling along the ground due to the force of the attack.

Before he could enjoy his victory, a fire jutsu launched by Kasuki caught him off guard, searing his skin with many small burns. He grit his teeth and glared at the offending kunoichi. Acting quickly, he threw several kunai at her, hoping to land at least once. The metal knives were blown away by Dosu, who released a massive sound wave from the gauntlet on his wrist.

Naruto turned his attention back to Arashi, who was walking towards the shelter he had made. Without even batting an eye, his fist connected with the boy's face, sending him flying in the other direction. Breathing heavily, he deflected a round of needles thrown at him by Kin, but was unable to block the massive punch delivered by Kegume. He rolled along the ground before landing with a thud.

He slowly rose from the ground, his injuries from both now and before beginning to take their toll. His knees were shaking from exhaustion as he glared at the six Sound Genin in front of him.

"D-Damn you all....." he muttered in anger. They scoffed at his plight. Is this the boy Orochimaru had really warned them about? He was a pathetic weakling! Ah well, not everyone was as gifted as they were.

"Too bad for you. You weren't that much fun." Kegume admitted. Naruto felt Kyuubi's chakra enter his coils, the fiery sensation a familiar one to him now. He found it ironic, considering how he used to fear this power. Now he embraced it as a part of him, as a weapon to be used to protect those who were precious to him.

"Let's finish this brat already, then move over to his teammates. This'll be the easiest mission we've had in a long while." Kasuki remarked. Arashi smirked in delight.

"My pleasure. You can go handle his teammates. I'll finish up over here." he said, drawing a kunai. He walked over to his target slowly, watching in amusement as the blonde tried to lift himself from the ground.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Takeshi and his squad couldn't bare to watch the murders of the Konoha Genin. Such heartless killing could not be what being a shinobi was about. It was wrong and vile, yet they could do nothing against it.

Yuzu contemplated using her bow to save the young blonde boy, but found herself unable to pull back the bowstring. She could not fight against the elder Sound Genin. They were too strong for her, and the others as well. If they fought against them now, it would most certainly mean their deaths.

That's when the young boy said something that they would never regret hearing.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Rika, Takato and Takuya stopped in their movements. The chakra signature was close, the presence strong in the air. The trio quickly peered from behind the trees and into a small clearing, where a horrid sight met their eyes.

The young boy from earlier was lying on the ground, battered, bruised and bloody, while an advancing Sound Genin was going in for the kill. Such cold-blooded behavior was so unfathomable that it was almost taboo.

"Rika, what do we do?" Takato asked. The blue eyed girl looked out into the scene and nodded in confirmation with herself.

"We help. We cannot allow this to happen. Takuya, Takato, get ready for battle." she stated. Before the trio could deploy themselves, however, the boy spoke something that reminded them as to why they were here.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Hinata had led her team on a wild goose chase, but they had finally found whatever it was they were looking for. The members of Team 8 found themselves beside a clearing, where there was apparently a battle going on. Upon peering out into the battlefield, they were mortified.

Naruto was close to unconsciousness, his teammates nowhere to be seen. Six Genin from Oto were in the field as well, some looking more banged up than others. A purple haired boy was walking towards the blonde with a kunai in hand.

They were awestruck at the sheer malice the boy held in his eyes as he stared at Naruto. He didn't deserve this. What had he done to receive such a cruel fate?

The young Genin subconsciously agreed with one another to assist the young blonde. However, just as they were preparing to fight, Naruto began to speak, saying something that would change their outlook on life forever.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Naruto glared at Arashi as he came closer to his target. Dammit, there was no way in hell he was going out this way! Feeling the crimson chakra coming to a peak, he began to rise from the ground.

"You think you're some kind of powerful warrior, just because you were chosen by a low-life bastard like Orochimaru? I spit on that kind of power! True power comes from within yourself, the very essence of your heart and soul. It stems from the desire to protect those you cherish, and flourishes when much more is at stake. Right now, you're threatening my precious people, my few friends on this entire planet earth, and you think I'm gonna let you get away with it?!" he exclaimed. As he spoke, his crimson chakra exploded from his body, forming a powerful aura around his form. All movement in the clearing came to a standstill as the six Sound Genin prepared to fight off the young Jinchuriki.

"Ah, so the demon's powers finally show themselves. I was wondering when the container of the great Kyuubi no Kitsune would show us what he was made of." Arashi stated nonchalantly. Naruto shot him a crimson glare, coated with death.

"Yes, I have Kyuubi sealed inside me. Yes, I've been abused and alone for the majority of my life. Yes, I pretended to be a loser and a washout for the attention it brought, but there is one thing that I will never do. I will never betray my home. I will never betray the people I've come to know and cherish. Power itself does not make you who you are, it's how you use it that matters, and if you use yours to attack my team and I just because we're all Jinchuriki, you're dead wrong!" he announced whole-heartedly. His chakra aura seemed to flare up at his words. The force of the chakra was so great it was pushing the devilish Genin back!

"I have a mission to find the other Jinchuriki on this planet and let them know that they're not alone! I refuse to have anyone else live the hell that's been my life, and if you plan on interfering with that dream I'll be forced to take you out! Get ready, cause you're all going down!" the blonde shouted.

"We knew it!" someone shouted. The combatants looked to the sky and saw three Genin from Kumo standing atop a tree branch. They were smiling at Naruto with a joyful expression in their eyes.

"We had a feeling you were a Jinchuriki too! I hope you don't mind us dropping in." the girl said, jumping down with her teammates. They landed across from the Sound Genin, glaring at them in hatred.

"Who do you little bastards think you are?" Kasuki asked, obviously offended by their presence. The girl glared at her harshly, her blue eyes changing into a deep purple hue.

"My name is Misumi Rika, Jinchuriki of the spirit Kisaki and protector of the Four Tails." she replied.

"I am Icuchi Takato, Jinchuriki of the spirit Kikai and protector of the Two Tails." one of the boys said.

"And I'm Icuchi Takuya, Jinchuriki of the spirit Maruishi and protector of the Five Tails." the last boy said. This revelation surprised all present and within earshot. Even more Jinchuriki?! That was unexpected.

"We came as.....representatives of all of the Jinchuriki back home in Kumo to find the ones here in Konoha. From this boy's skills and unique chakra signature, we were able to discern that he had demonic powers. His little monologues a moment ago confirmed our suspicions." Rika explained.

"He is also right about everything he said. Someone like you who uses power for their own personal gain is nothing more than a brigand. I hope you have made peace with whatever twisted Gods you worship, for we will end you here." Takato said, a fierce glare in his eyes.

"We may be of a different village, but all Jinchuriki are a family. We all share one burden. One curse. One destiny. One hope. And there is no one in this world or the next who can take that away from us. Together, we have something that no one else has, and it is something you will never be able to defeat." Takuya stated, his expression mirroring his brothers.

Naruto's eyes were wide in disbelief. These strangers – people he had known for all of sixty seconds – were defending him and agreeing with him as if they were best friends since birth. Then, one last thought registered: they were Jinchuriki. Like him. Tears of joy began to build up behind his crystal eyes.

"You guys........thank you. I don't really know you yet, but I hope I can fix that soon. My name is Uzumaki Naruto and it's a pleasure to meet you." the blonde said in a nonchalant tone.

"Well met. Before we continue with the pleasantries, let's take these goons down." Rika suggested. Kasuki glared at her harshly.

"That's only if you can!" she shouted, forming a series of hand signs. Before she could complete the set, however, Rika had already made her last seal.

"Lightning Style: Thunder Current!" she called. Several thick bolts of electricity flew from her fingertips and towards the pink haired Oto kunoichi. Dosu went to guard it, but Takato's sudden grip on his wrist made that impossible.

"Don't forget about us!" he warned as he slammed his knee into Dosu's gut. His single visible eye widened in pain and surprise and the Kumo boy brought a swift uppercut to his chin, knocking him into the air. He reached to the handle of his sword and drew it, storing his chakra into it at a rapid pace. The blade began to glow with a silver hue as he brought the sword towards the sky.

"Metal Wave!" he called. He stroked the sword in the air, emitting a blade of silver hued energy towards the bandaged Genin. The attack made contact with a small explosion in midair. He watched in satisfaction as Dosu fell back to Earth in pain of the attack. He was forced to duck as Kasuki's body came flying over his head due to the force of the attack she had suffered.

Takuya saw Kegume charging at his brother and sealed in rapid succession. Suddenly, the ground underneath the large boy opened up, revealing many small spears made of solid rock.

"Earth Style: Stone Spears!" he called. The spears rocketed upwards from the ground, nearly impaling the boy through the stomach. Kegume, however, contorted his body to avoid fatal blows, only receiving large gashes on his legs and arms. He clutched his wounds as he landed, hoping to slow the bleeding.

This, however, proved to be a costly error on his part, as Takuya took the chance to slam his interlocked fists into the back of his head. Without so much as a second thought, the Kumo boy unleashed five powerful punches to his gut, then sent him reeling across the field with a devastating kick to the side.

"You really think you have a chance?" he asked in a mocking tone. Suddenly, Zaku appeared by his side, prepared to slit his throat with a kunai.

"I think you're about to die!" he said. Before the knife could reach its target, a powerful wind blew the offending Genin away from him and against the trees behind him. Takuya turned to see Naruto standing a few feet away, his hands in a seal for his attack.

"Like you said, we're a family, and I'll die before I let anyone hurt my family." he stated plainly. The Kumo boy smiled and nodded in response.

"I've only known you for about five minutes and already I like you." he said with a laugh. Arashi grit his teeth and charged at the two boys.

"Enough of this! I'll finish you all here and now!" he shouted. Suddenly, two black wings sprung from the Sound boy's back as he took to the air in a storm of feathers. The two young Jinchuriki were taken back by this sudden transformation. Arashi took advantage of their shock and quickly slammed his legs into Takuya's gut, knocking him to the ground. Before Naruto could defend, the black winged boy jammed his shoulder into his chest.

Takato was distracted by his brother's shout long enough for Dosu to get his barring together. The Sound shinobi grabbed his gauntlet and unleashed a wave of sound that deafened his target and damaged his ear to the point of bleeding. The Kumo shinobi grabbed his ear in pain, trying to block out the sound. _'Dammit, too late!'_ he mentally cursed.

Rika brought her leg around to kick Kasuki, but Kin's sudden storm of needles knocked her off balance. She somersaulted under the needles, but failed to see the trap laid by her opponent. Flames erupted from the ground and seared her body, forcing her to the ground in pain. _'How could I have been so careless? These guys are tougher than I thought.'_ she said to herself.

Takuya jumped away from Arashi's fist, bringing up his foot in a flip. His kick landed straight in the boy's jaw, snapping it with an audible crack. Taking advantage of his temporarily stunned opponent, the Kumo shinobi punched him swiftly in the chest. Arashi was knocked away by his attack.

His victory was short lived as Kegume emerged from the ground and wrapped his arm around his neck, lifting him from the ground as he began to strangle the young boy. Takuya struggle against his captor, only to find his enemy's build stronger than his own. _'Dammit, I can't break loose!'_ he thought.

"Hehe, look who's high and mighty now!" Kegume gloated. The crimson-eyed boy grit his teeth in frustration. As soon as he got out of his grip, he was _so_ going to get it......

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Hinata awoke with a slight headache. She felt as though she were hit with an Akimichi's Human Boulder. As her senses awoke from their temporary slumber, she noticed that the ground beneath her was awfully cold for this time of year.

That's when she realized that it wasn't the ground itself she was lying upon.

She jumped up with a start, her sandals crunching in the snow around her. She had somehow ended up in a frozen forest, the icy crystals decorating the trees. A frigid winter breeze flew through the forest, scaling the grand slope of the mountain beside her. Hinata looked around for some sign of life or where she was. How did she end up here when she was taking the Chunin Exams?

A loud, majestic howl echoed throughout the frozen woods. She turned her head at the sound, peering up at the mountain behind her. Upon the lowest ledge stood a proud, four-tailed white wolf with bright blue eyes. The creature itself was worthy of royalty, its natural majesty and grace akin to that of a queen.

The wolf jumped down from its perch, landing beside an awestruck Hinata. The two locked gazes for only a moment, yet she would never be able to forget the ardent look in its eyes.

"**You must be my container. I am Yonbi no Okami. Welcome to your mindscape, young pup."** the wolf said in a majestic voice. This revelation came as a shock to the young heiress.

"I'm afraid I don't quite understand....you mean that I'm like Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked, almost scared to know the answer.

"**Naruto? Kyuubi-kun's container?"** Yonbi asked curiously. That's when memories of Naruto's plight returned to her.

"Naruto-kun! He's in trouble! I have to help him somehow, but I don't know what to do...." she said in a worried tone. The wolf Bijuu thought for a moment. She knelt down next to Hinata, her head resting on her paws.

"**I may be able to help you, but it will most likely involve me taking control of your body for a small time."** she suggested. The young Hyuga seemed skeptical of this idea.

"**You can use my chakra to assist him, but since you're inexperienced with its usage, I'll take temporary control of your body so you are not overwhelmed with its strength. Just stroke my fur to use it for now." **she explained. Hinata relented to the plan, still somewhat suspicious. Reaching out, she gently stroked the Bijuu's soft fur, noting how serene it was to her senses. A bright light consumed the area as Hinata felt herself fading out.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Well, what do you want to do?"

"We should assist our comrade. He needs it."

"I know, but we can't just leave her here like this!"

"......."

The "argument" between Kiba and Shino had been continuing since Naruto summoned his demonic chakra. Mysteriously, Hinata passed out as soon as the chakra made its appearance, both worrying and frustrating her teammates. While they wanted to assist in the battle against the Sound Genin, they couldn't just leave her unconscious in the forest. Now, they were trying to determine the best course of action. Trying, but failing.

"Ah, you're impossible! How about one of us stays here with her while the other goes out to fight?" Kiba suggested.

"That would be emotionally unacceptable. Would you be able to stand by and watch as your teammates fought while you were hidden in the bushes?" Shino retorted. The young Inuzuka growled in agony. Why did that damn bastard make everything so freakin' difficult?

"Then what are we gonna do? Just sit here and twiddle our thumbs waiting for Hinata to wake up while Naruto and those guys risk their lives like this?" he asked. At that moment, the Hyuga heiress began to stir. She rose from the ground and turned to the scene beside them, her eyes gazing upon the battlefield.

"Hinata, are you okay? You passed out and-" Kiba was cut off when the young girl turned to them, meeting them eye-to-eye.

Her eyes were no longer the light lavender famous of her clan. They were now a light, almost icy, blue in color. The bright smile she wore seemed to illuminate the cyan orbs. She also seemed to carry herself with a more regal and sophisticated air about her.

"H-Hinata......is that you?" he asked, caution laced in his voice. She continued smiling as she patted Akamaru on the head lightly. Then, without warning, she disappeared from sight, leaving behind two bewildered teammates and an overexcited puppy.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Naruto struggled against Arashi's grip on his collar, to no avail. He was still too weakened from his battle with Orochimaru and his demonic teammates. The winged boy laughed at his plight.

"Did you honestly think that you could win? With the power Orochimaru-sama has given us, you don't stand a chance, demon boy! Now, prepare to die!" he said. Just as he brought a kunai to his stomach, something slammed into him from behind, making him drop his target as he flew to the ground.

"Who did that?!" he asked in rage. Turning, he found himself face-to-face with the burning glare of cyan eyes, and feral growl to match. The girl that stood by the blonde kid was radiating some kind of weird chakra similar to the Kyuubi's.

Naruto watched in shock as Hinata took a defensive position, standing between him and Arashi. What was she doing here? And why was she surrounded by an aura of chakra?

"Hinata......what are you doing here?" he asked in surprise.

"**Fret not, Kyuubi-kun. I will not let them harm you."** she replied in a voice that was not her own. Realization gripped the boy's mind as he began to understand, to his horror, the events unfolding. No way......not her. Please, she didn't deserve it. What had she done to be sealed with a demon? This was his burden, not hers!

"And who might you be?" Arashi asked the sudden newcomer.

"**I am Yonbi no Okami, and I will not allow you to harm my brothers and sisters unhindered. Prepare yourself. You know not what you face."** 'Hinata' replied.

"_Yonbi-chan, please protect Naruto-kun. I beg you." _Hinata said from her subconscious.

"_**Don't worry, young pup, I will not let them harm him."**_ she replied mentally.

Rika ran next to Yonbi, a surprised look in her eyes. Suddenly, she bowed and knelt before her like a soldier to a queen.

"Yonbi-san, it is an honor to finally meet you." she said respectfully.

"**Ah, you must be one of my vassals. Misumi Rika, I believe your name was? Anyway, I request that you assist in the protection of the young boy, otherwise my container will be heartbroken."** Yonbi replied. Naruto lifted himself from the ground, ignoring the slight pain it caused him.

"I can still fight. I am not a princess to be kept behind the vanguard. I am a ninja and I will fight." he said with ardent determination.

"**As obdurate as ever. Ah well, you are Kyuubi-kun's container. I supposed you inherited it from him."** Yonbi said with a chuckle. Arashi grew more and more annoyed with their idle chatter.

"Enough of this! I don't care who you are, I will end you here!" he exclaimed. He charged at the three Jinchuriki, prepared to kill. Yonbi stared at him as if he was stupid. Which he was. Most people who charged at her ended up on the receiving end of an icicle blade.

"**Very well. Feel the wrath of the arctic winds."** she warned, shifting into her battle stance. Rika and Naruto suddenly felt a strong killer intent coming from behind them. On instinct alone, they flipped away from Kegume, who shattered the ground where they previously stood.

"Did you forget about me?" he asked mockingly.

"Naruto, you're too injured to fight him by yourself. Let me help you." Rika urged. He was tempted to protest, but decided against it. No need to emaciate his body further. He nodded in response, preparing to fight Kegume with Rika at his side.

Takato clashed kunai with Dosu once more, struggling against his opponent's strength. He was mentally cursing his small muscular build as he kicked the Sound Genin in the stomach before flipping away. There was no way he could lose this fight.

"I will not lose to you!" he announced, drawing his sword once again.

"You may not lose to him, but what about me?" Kasuki asked, appearing behind the boy. He braced himself for impact when, suddenly, two spinning drills of fang and claw came from the surrounding bushes, ramming into her and saving him from her attack.

"Sorry to drop in like this, but I'm not letting you guys have all the fun." the newcomer said.

"Honestly, I'm just glad you did that. She's all yours." Takato said smiling. Kiba nodded in response.

"You got it. If Hinata is fighting, so will I! C'mon, Akamaru!" he said with a vigorous zeal. His dog barked in response, joining his master on the battlefield. Kasuki wiped her lip, blood trickling from her mouth.

"You'll pay for that." she said venomously.

Takuya ducked under Zaku's leg, grabbing his extended appendage and flipping him over his head. With a swift kick, he sent him flying across the field. Kin launched herself into the air, drawing scores of senbon that rained down upon him. Takuya, seeing the attack, quickly went through his hand seals.

"Earth Style: Earth Wall!" he called. A wall of solid rock was erected between himself and the needles, preventing them from landing their mark. However, as he held the wall, Zaku came towards him with a punch aimed at his head. He found himself unable to move, his hands still needed to maintain the wall.

A swarm of insects caught the boy's fist, wrapping themselves around his arm before carrying him away from the Kumo shinobi. 'What the? Bugs?' Takuya thought in confusion. Following the swarm's path, he found a Konoha shinobi controlling them. He figured that he was a friend of Naruto's.

"Thank you, friend! He's all yours!" he called to Shino, who nodded in response.

"Hey, lemme go you damn freak!" Zaku protested, struggling against the swarm.

"You have endangered the lives of my comrades. For you, I have no mercy." Shino stated nonchalantly.

Naruto was pleasantly surprised by the arrival of Team 8 and was thankful for their assistance. These guys were some supercharged Genin, being some of Orochimaru's thugs. Now that everyone was tied up in their own fight, though, they had a fighting chance. No matter what, he had to protect his friends. He would rather die than let these guys have their way! He stared down Kegume as he stepped in front of Rika, almost as if protecting her.

"I hope you and your Sound buddies are ready to lose, since you have no chance of beating us!" he said with a smug smirk. Kegume glared at him with malice.

"I beg to differ, demon boy." he replied.

"Then have at us and learn your folly." Rika replied, preparing to fight. The Sound Genin prepared to fight their respective opponents, who were all determined to protect their friends and teammates. For Naruto, he was no longer a one-man army. Rika, Takato, Takuya, Hinata, even Sakura and Sasuke, were all Jinchuriki. They were all like him and Hell would freeze a thousand times over before he allowed the death of any of them.

As the battle began to reach it's climax, he focused on his demonic chakra, knowing that this next blow would decide it. Kegume was prepared to throw his punch when suddenly all he saw was the crimson color of a rose.


	4. Past Comes to Light: End of the Forest

**Jinchuriki of the Leaf Chap. 4**

Sarutobi couldn't help but be worried. It wasn't often you were woken in the middle of the night by a demonic presence. Yet another Jinchuriki had been discovered. At least Naruto was completing his mission at a rapid pace.

Within two days of each other, three Jinchuriki have revealed themselves as God-knows-who and the Genin boy was probably forced to battle them as well. Fate just loved abusing him in all aspects in his life. However, Naruto was strong, far stronger than anyone gave him credit for. He should be able to handle himself.

However, all of these sudden awakenings were beginning to concern him. Something must have happened to trigger them, but he couldn't quite place his finger on a reason. Ah well, it was probably just another one of those things in life that mortals are not meant to understand. Nothing all that special. He just hoped that Naruto was fairing well in the exams. Sometimes, those who entered the forest don't come back alive....

(Current Day: Unknown Location)

A man dressed in dark robes knelt before his master. The master sat upon a throne, wearing royal garments of some sort.

"Milord, the first of the seals has been recovered." the man reported, producing a small card from his sleeve. The master grinned in satisfaction.

"Ah, perfect. This is only the first of many. Good work, Zugier. You are one of my most trusted vassals. Now, can you tell me the progress of Dr. Roin of Akegata?" he asked.

"Hai. Experiments one and two have been completed, while three is nearing completion." Zugier replied. This only broadened the master's grin.

"That man is as swift as he is clever! By month's end, he should be finished with thirty of his creations at this rate." he remarked.

"Is then when we strike? Or do you prefer waiting longer?" the swordsman asked.

"In order for my plans to come to fruition, there are two groups of enemies that must be eliminated. I'm certain you know who I speak of." the master replied. Zugier grit his teeth at the mention of his foes.

"Yes. You mean the Jinchuriki and the Holy Knights. Since they are so numerous, perhaps we should bide our time further." he suggested.

"Indeed. It would be foolish to attack with the mediocre forces we have attained thus far. We would be wiped out on all fronts." the master said.

"Despite our numerous allies, we would not fair well in such a large scale war. While our forces are powerful, we lack the necessary numbers to lay siege to any country, be it village or kingdom, and achieve victory. For now, I will return to collecting the seventy-two demonic seals for you, Master Angel. I will also receive intelligence reports from our allies in Shiruba, Naiya and Hakumei." Zugier reported.

"Yes, yes. Excellent. I shall leave those tasks to you, and take however many subordinates needed with you." Angel replied. The swordsman nodded and disappeared from the room, gone to complete his assignments. The master only smirked to himself.

"Soon...very soon....I will hold the world in the palms of my hands." he muttered darkly. He chuckled to himself as he turned to the alter hidden behind his throne. He placed the seal in one of the spots on the alter, which began to glow with an eerie light.

"The demons of Hell will be unleashed in all their fury." he announced to himself.

(Current Day: Forest of Death)

The Jinchuriki and the Sound Genin were squared off against each other, glaring at each other from across the field. Yonbi was healing the injured, especially Naruto, who was about ready to collapse.

"**Naruto, you should rest and leave the battle to us. You've done enough already."** she coaxed him.

"Sorry, Yonbi-san, but I can't allow these guys to do whatever they please! They've endangered my friends and teammates and no one gets away with that!" he replied vigorously.

"While I agree with your reasoning, Hinata is in the right. You have sustained numerous injuries and by no means are you in a condition to fight." Shino said.

"Guys, you can sit back. My team will handle this." Rika offered to the Konoha Genin.

"And how do you plan on doing that?" Kiba asked, not yet grasping the idea of the Jinchuriki. Akamaru yapped in agreement.

"You must not have been around Jinchuriki all too long, have you? When we unleash our demonic powers, we can easily beat their asses." Takuya replied. Kiba and Shino gave Naruto a confused look, but he dismissed them.

"I'll explain everything once this battle is over." he said. The two agreed as Naruto turned to the Kumo Genin.

"I hope you don't mind if I join you. That Arashi guy is really annoying me." he said.

"No one's stopping you." Takato replied cheerfully.

"**I shall assist as well. I cannot let my subordinate do all the fighting."** Yonbi said.

"Arigato, Yonbi-sama. Now, let's finish this." Rika stated. Suddenly, the three were engulfed in bright auras of chakra. Rika's was purple, Takato's was silver and Takuya's was yellow. This sudden display of power surprised the Sound Genin, who were getting ready to fight.

That was, until Naruto's chakra made a grand entrance.

The crimson energy flowed around his body, wrapping itself around him like a cloak. Kegume felt the wound on his cheek burn as the chakra compacted itself as an aura around the blonde boy. Before, the appearance of the Kumo Genin interrupted his transformation, but now nothing was holding him back.

With five demonic powered Genin against them, Arashi and his group knew that they were in some serious trouble. Against one Jinchuriki they could win, possibly even against two, but against five? They didn't have a change in hell.

"Grr.......we'll have to fall back. There's no way we stand a chance against that kind of power. C'mon guys! Let's get outta here!" he ordered. Suddenly, Naruto appeared behind him, blocking his exit.

"**Where do you think you're going?"** he asked before slamming his fist into the purple haired boy's gut. He flew through the air and landed on the ground nearly ten meters away. Before any of the other Sound Genin could make a move, the other Jinchuriki made their moves.

Yonbi jumped over Zaku's head, landing behind him as he turned around. Before he could attack her, she rammed her elbows into his sides, then brought an upper palm strike to his chin. Summoning a small amount of chakra to her hand, she slammed her palm against his stomach and let him fly into the distance.

Before any of the others could react, Rika already had a hold of Kasuki. She slammed her fist into her gut, then delivered a swift kick to her jaw. As she rose into the air, the Jinchuriki girl summoned a massive lightning bolt from the skies above. The force of the attack sent Kasuki flying back down to earth, unconscious, but still alive.

Takato brandished his sword in his hand, coating the blade in chakra. The steel began to emit a silver light as he brought the blade down in the air, releasing a blade of energy that rammed into Dosu with tremendous force. The Sound Genin was forced through the trunk of the large tree behind him before landing on the ground with a thud.

Takuya slammed his foot into the ground, creating a large fissure that threatened to engulf Kin and Kegume. They jumped into the air, avoiding his attack. Suddenly, spikes made of solid stone shot out from the fissure, threatening to kill them. They were unable to dodge, but contorted their bodies to receive only minor injuries. This didn't prevent Takuya from grabbing Kin in midair and throwing her into her teammate, knocking them both into the ground.

Arashi got up and grit his teeth in frustration. There was no way they were going to win. Might as well keep their loses to a minimum and leave with their lives.

"Fine! Take our stupid scrolls! We'll get them somewhere else!" he said. He took out a Heaven Scroll from his pack and threw it at the ground. Dosu did similarity with his Earth Scroll. They gathered their injured teammates and fled the scene. Arashi looked back at the group and glared harshly. '_I swear, I'll have my vengeance, demon boy._' he mentally promised.

Naruto felt the demonic chakra recede as he picked up the Heaven Scroll. He pocketed the parchment as he turned to the three Kumo Genin. He smiled widely as he went into the small shanty that housed his teammates.

"Thank you for your help. I think we have a lot of things to talk about." he said.

"Yeah. Don't sweat it though. We can talk tomorrow. For now, let's just get some rest. You must be the most exhausted out of all of us." Rika stated. Naruto dismissed her concerns, though the look in his eyes and the feeble trembling of his legs said otherwise. He was going to collapse any second now. He turned to Yonbi and smiled warmly.

"Thank you as well, Yonbi-sama. And tell Hinata that we can talk tomorrow about this. I'm sure she has many questions about this." he said. Yonbi nodded in response.

"**Yes. Do not worry, though. I will talk with her while we sleep and explain things to her. You can fill in the blanks where I cannot." **she replied. He acceded with her idea before yawning widely.

"I suggest we all get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be quite an eventful day for us, and we sleep have the second exam to worry about." he said.

"Right. Well then, good night all." Takuya said before entering the shanty.

(That night: Hinata's Mindscape)

Hinata sat in the crystal cavern that was Yonbi's home. It sparkled softly in the silvery moonlight, adding to the natural majesty of the forest. It was so peaceful here, she wished the rest of the world could share in her vision of beauty. Yonbi lay on her paws next to her, her fur a source of warmth for the young heiress.

"Thank you for helping my friends today, Yonbi-san." she said in a grateful tone.

"**It wasn't a problem. Kyuubi is my lover, so Hell would freeze over before I let him die."** Yonbi replied nonchalantly. The blue haired Hyuga flushed profoundly at this revelation. Was her infatuation with Naruto just coincidence or a sign of something more? Shoving this thought aside for later, she decided that now would be a good time to start getting answers to this confusing situation.

"I'm a Jinchuriki like Naruto-kun, aren't I?" she asked. Yonbi looked at her and seemed to sigh before she answered.

"**Yes. Though I don't exactly know by who or why, but I was captured only a week after you were born and sealed into you without your parent's knowledge. It just saddens me that someone as kind and pure as you has been tainted with my demonic blood."** she explained.

"B-But you're kind as well! Would a demon help a stranger in battle without reason other than being requested to do so? I think not!" Hinata replied.

"**Your kind words are appreciated. I know you must have many questions for me about our spiritual union, so if you want to, you may ask."** Yonbi offered.

"True, but I think I can wait for Naruto-kun's explanation tomorrow. I just hope Kiba-kun and Shino-kun can handle the news as well as I have." the young Hyuga said.

"**Your teammates seem generally concerned for you, seeing as they came to assist in the recent battle. I'm just glad Kyuubi-kun's chakra woke me when it did." **the wolf demon said. Hinata looked at her with a curious gaze.

"Woke you up? How so?" she asked.

"**You see, since Kyuubi-kun and I are so close to one another, we can react with each other's chakra. In simple terms, I sensed his chakra nearby and awakened in full force. That's why you fainted when Naruto unleashed his powers."** she explained. The Hyuga heiress stood up and turned to the wolf, who stood as well.

"Okay. From now on, we'll be partners and help each other out when we need to. We're going to spend the rest of eternity with each other, so might as well get to know you and be friends, and I'd be honored to have your friendship." she said. Yonbi sat on her hind legs and lifted her paw to mid-level. Hinata looked at her, somewhat confused.

"**I believe you humans call it a 'hand-shake?' Obviously I don't have hands, but this should still work."** she offered with a laugh. Hinata laughed as well, taking the paw with her hand.

"I promise I won't let you down." she said with a smile.

(Currently: Sakura's Mindscape)

Sakura looked out into the horizon, a gentle wind blowing through her now shoulder length hair. She stood atop a large escarpment overlooking the oceans, the sun slowly setting over the sea. Her thoughts were bundled up in her head. Everything she had been told, from Naruto's housing of Kyuubi to her own sealing of Shichibi, had been a lot for her to take in all at once. The phoenix demon seemed to respect Naruto, since he fought her, Hachibi and Orochimaru all at once with such valiant determination; and came away with the victory.

Behind her, the large bird stood, her wings folded at her side. She looked at Sakura with her dark pink eyes before speaking.

"**So, do you understand? I know you're probably still shocked about the whole thing."** it said.

"It's still a big surprise. I never expected to have such power inside me. And for Naruto to be put through so much over something he had no control over.......Shichibi-san, I can hardly call that 'justice.'" Sakura offered.

"**Justice is not always justifiable. Sometimes sacrifices are made to preserve the frail ideal of peace and hope that is often clung to like moths to flame."** Shichibi offered.

"If that's what it takes to be just, then I'll nothing to do with justice." the pink haired kunoichi replied.

"**Yet you've treated the boy just as bad, if not worse, then the villagers have. And yet he threatened to kill me to save you – even if you died in the process. He felt that you would rather die than have someone else control your life."** the phoenix replied. Sakura cast her green eyes upon the ground. She had never really treated him the best way, and maybe should've at least attempted to be nicer to him before whacking him.

"That was the past, and this is now. I can always make it up to him somehow....." she said, more trying to convince herself that her mistakes didn't cost her dearly. She turned to Shichibi with a solemn gaze.

"Thank you for explaining this to me. I'm going to talk to Naruto tomorrow morning when I wake up and tell him everything I learned here. I also don't blame you for taking over. I had exhausted myself and you saw the perfect chance to escape. Had we switched places, I would've done the same." she said.

"**You're awfully forgiving: an admirable quality to have. However, will your sincerity be enough to earn forgiveness?" **Shichibi asked.

"I couldn't tell you. We'll just have to wait and see." Sakura replied, returning her gaze to the setting sun over the horizon.

(Current Day: Sasuke's Mindscape)

The dark gorge beneath him seemed to resonate with a mysterious silence that reigned supreme within the cavern. Crystal stalagmites and stalactites decorated the floor and ceiling, glistening in the warm sunlight that shone from the outside, a complete counterpart to the blackness around him.

Beside him, heavy wings flapped to keep their body afloat above the deep chasm below. The dragon creature watched his host, dark green eyes waiting expectingly for the Uchiha's reply. Sasuke looked to the black scaled creature with understanding towards the situation.

"......So, you're sealed inside me? I guess all that late night training pushed me to the point where you could take over." he stated.

"**That's putting it simply, but yes, that is what happened."** Hachibi replied.

"To think, the dobe had this power to himself all this time and didn't even bother letting us know. What kind of teammate keeps secrets anyway?" Sasuke asked in a demeaning tone. The dragon seemed to fixate his emerald glare upon the boy.

"**The same kind of teammate who constantly belittles his friends and acts like he is better than the rest of world when, in reality's world, he would lose against anyone with Chunin rank or higher."** he said in a similar tone. Sasuke glared up at the dragon Bijuu, anger evident in his eyes.

"Like you're one to talk. You lost to my clansmen and was sealed inside me as a result. Maybe you should think before accusing someone else." he replied. Hachibi sighed at his container's idiocy.

"**Do you honestly think mere humans could defeat me? I willing followed the sealing procedure! Your clan and I have long ago signed a Spirit Pact that led me to this prison. Like many people, your clan believed Naruto and Kyuubi to be a threat, so you were chosen to serve as a foil to him in case he lost control of his demon."** he explained. Sasuke looked down dejectedly at that revelation.

"**Perhaps you should get to know someone before accusing someone of being weak."** the dragon suggested mockingly. Those words sunk in as Sasuke stared silently down the darkness of the abyss.

(The next morning: Forest of Death)

Rika was up bright and early, no longer feeling the need to sleep. Perching herself upon a tree branch, she thought it best to relax before the day began. She watched the sun rise above the horizon, dawn breaking through the darkness of the night. In a way, it symbolized how her life was like. At first, she was feared – hated even – for the powers she held. An outcast in her village, she never had many friends. Her mother and father still loved her very much, but they were the only ones who cared for her.

That was, until she met Takato and Takuya.

She remembered the day she met the duo, back when they were only eight years old.

(Flashback: Kumo)

An eight-year-old Rika sighed softly as she walked home from the Academy. She was once more the outcast in her class. None of the other kids wanted anything to do with her. Her "partner" today took every chance he got to screw her up and make fun of her.

Just when she thought it couldn't get much worse, it did.

Two young boys sped by her, knocking her down in the process. After recovering from the shock of being hit, she stood and dusted herself off. She noticed, however, that the bracelet on her left wrist had been taken. Immediately knowing who stole it, she set off in hot pursuit of the two boys.

Eventually, she found them sitting in an alleyway with a cloth spread out between them. They had many small items on the cloth, not too many of them worth any value. Among them, she spotted her bracelet. Without thinking, she approached the two in annoyance.

"Hey you two! Who do you think you are, taking other people's stuff? Give me back my bracelet and return that stuff too, cause stealing stuff isn't very nice!" she scolded them. The two boys were horrified that they had been caught: by a girl no less! Girls can be scary when provoked.

"Y-You're not gonna hurt us are you?" the brown haired boy asked carefully. Rika blinked in surprise. Sure they had stolen something from her and she was mad at them, but hurt them? That was a little too extreme for her.

"Why would I do that? We can talk it out can't we?" she asked. The two boys looked at each other, then nodded.

"Okay, you can sit down over here. I'm Takato and this is my twin brother Takuya." the red haired boy introduced. The brown haired boy – now named Takuya – smiled and waved shyly at her.

"I'm Rika. It's nice to meet you." she said, sitting down next to Takato. The two brothers turned to each other again and began taking survey of what they had stolen.

"Let's see....all of this stuff would be worth a little money, so maybe now Mom won't have to work so hard to get some." Takuya said. Rika seemed upset by this statement.

"Your mom?" she asked. The brothers adopted a solemn expression.

"Our mom works three full-time jobs just to support the family. Our dad died a little after we were born on a mission, and she's never fully gotten over it." Takato explained.

"She works herself to exhaustion trying to keep us from losing everything, so Takato and I sometimes steal and sell stuff to make some extra money on the side so maybe she won't overwork herself." Takuya continued.

"T-That's terrible! No one bothers to help her?" Rika asked in shock. Takato shook his head.

"She's all the family we have – she told us herself." he replied. Rika immediately felt guilty. She was feeling upset earlier, but these two had it off so much worse than she did! Small tears came to her blue eyes as she wiped them away.

"H-Hey! We didn't make you upset did we?" Takuya asked in concern. Their mother had always told them to never make a girl cry. She shook her head, smiling slightly.

"N-No, I'm sorry. It's just that I didn't realize how badly people's lives could be. I've always been an outcast because I'm something called a 'Jinchuriki.' My dad told me that it means I have a spirit sealed inside me and that when I get older I'll be super strong, but the village doesn't like it." she explained.

"Y-You're a Jinchuriki? Really?" Takato asked in slight surprise. Rika mentally cursed herself as she nodded the affirmative. She had a chance to make some new, albeit odd, friends and she just blew it sky high.

"That's just like us, isn't it Takuya?" she heard Takato ask. Her eyes widened in shock as the brown haired boy nodded in confirmation.

"Wow, I didn't think anyone else in the village was like us. We became Jinchuriki because the spirits made a pact with our dad's ancestors. Part of the pact said that they would become the 'guardians of those destined to help the world.'" Takato said.

"We don't know if that's true, but I'm happy that we are. It's like Dad is still here watching over us." Takuya offered. Rika didn't bother hiding the tears she shed.

"Aw great, did we upset you again?" Takato asked. She shook her head.

"I'm not crying because I'm sad......I'm happy I finally met....someone like me." she said.

(Current Day: Forest of Death)

She smiled as she reached into her pouch and pulled out the small bracelet that lead to her meeting her best friends. She considered trying it on once more, but decided that now was not the time to ponder fashion accessories.

"Rika-chan?" she heard a voice ask. She looked below her and saw Hinata standing there.

"Oh, hello. You must be Hinata-san. A pleasure to meet you." she said.

"Yes, as it is to meet you." Hinata responded. The Kumo kunoichi leaped down from her perch, landing next to her acquaintance. The ivory-eyed heiress smiled warmly before reaching out her hand for a greeting. Rika took her hand with gratitude.

"I wanted to thank you for helping Naruto-kun yesterday. I'm not sure that I – I mean, Yonbi and I – would've been able to handle them on our own." Hinata said.

"You're welcome. We helped because it's just how we are. I can't stand it when good people are hurt by those with evil hearts." Rika replied. The two smiled warmly at each other before deciding it would be best to head back to camp. As they walked, Rika was concerned for the girl's mental wellbeing. Having to accept the fact that you had a demon sealed inside you wasn't an easy task.

"Hinata-san, how do you feel about this whole mess?" she asked. Hinata looked at her for a moment, then deigned to share her answer.

"I admit, I was a little frightened by it at first. But, Yonbi and I talked about the situation all night last night. Now, I feel like now I have the power to make a difference in the world, that even I can amount to something more. And once again it's all thanks to Naruto-kun." she said, blushing slightly at the mention of her crush. This did not good unnoticed.

"Do you have a crush on Naruto-san?" Rika asked. Hinata blushed a bright red as she tented her fingers timidly.

"W-Well, I, um.....that is to say......" she stuttered. Rika couldn't help but let out a laugh. The look on her face was priceless! Hinata seemed offended by the girl's outburst, so she controlled her laugher before speaking.

"I'm sorry, Hinata-san, it's just that you looked so funny like that I couldn't help myself. It has nothing to do with you personally." she said in an apologetic tone.

"I guess that's alright.....C'mon, the others are bound to be awake by now." Hinata said, urging her to follow. Rika smiled to herself as she headed after her. _'Something tells me that we're gonna be good friends.'_ she thought to herself.

(Current Day: Forest of Death)

Naruto was a little surprised to see that Sakura and Sasuke had finally waken up after almost a full day of unconsciousness. Thank God, now he wouldn't have any more 'one-on-three' fights. Of course, that also meant that he would have to answer some questions that he really didn't want to answer.

Once Hinata and Rika returned to the campsite, all nine (ten if Akamaru is included) of the Genin sat in a circle, looking towards Naruto for an explanation of what was happening. He sighed as he prepared to explain everything to them.

"Okay, just for the record, I had limited knowledge of this until a week ago. As you know, the Kyuubi attacked Konoha twelve years ago. It killed almost three quarters of our shinobi and countless citizens in it's rampage." he began. _**"I'm not exactly too proud of that, kit." **_Kyuubi said in his mind.

"The Yondaime Hokage, the 'Yellow Flash' of Konoha and hero to all who lived there, fearlessly faced down the demon in an epic battle for the fate of his home. However, in the end, he knew that defeating Kyuubi would prove to be impossible. Thus, he took a newborn child and used him as a catalyst to imprison the spirit for all eternity." he continued. As he spoke, he unzipped his orange jacket and lifted his black undershirt, revealing a slightly toned midriff (Hinata blushed quite brightly here). Summoning a small amount of chakra, the seal slowly faded into view. A few gasps were audible from the Genin, something Naruto knew was going to happen.

"I was that child: Uzumaki Naruto, Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune." he stated. An uncomfortable silence befell the group, with no one able to say anything. Suddenly, all the years of pain and torment he went through made sense. Naruto took their silence as an invitation to continue the story.

"I discovered this when our old sensei Mizuki used me to try and take the Sacred Scroll from the village. When Iruka-sensei arrived, he told me the secret just to spite me. But Iruka-sensei saved me and I took the chance to beat Mizuki to a pulp. That's how I became a ninja in the first place." he explained, "My first encounter with the Kyuubi's power was during the battle with Zabuza and Haku on the bridge back in the Wave Country. I summoned it subconsciously when it looked as though Sasuke was slain in battle. I don't remember too much, other than nearly killing Haku, and when I woke up Kakashi-sensei told me about there being more Jinchuriki around the world: the Hokage only confirmed this. He told me of a prophecy that predicted an epic battle between the Jinchuriki and an unknown enemy. In order to prepare for this and to prove to the world that we're not the demons they think we are, I've made it my mission to find as many Jinchuriki as I can and convince them to help out. That is everything I know about this, and hopefully that should be enough to answer any inquiries you have."

The group was stunned into silence. Fate did not hold a kind hand to this boy. No one missed the tears that Naruto was attempting to hide. Sakura brought her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them, and buried her face into them so no one would see her crying. Sasuke looked at the ground, finding no solace in his inner thoughts. Kiba was disheartened, looking away to hide the painful expression etched into his face. Shino actually seemed saddened by Naruto's story, his head hanging in a depressed manner.

Hinata stood from her spot and walked to the blonde, who was cringing his face to stop his tears. She knelt in front of him, surprising him with her sudden presence. She embraced him in a heartfelt hug, much to everyone's surprise, and patted him softly on the back.

"You don't have to act strong for everyone, Naruto-kun. Please, don't hold it in anymore." she said quietly. Something within him snapped as all the years of loneliness and rejection finally took their toll. Soon, a waterfall of warm tears fell to the earth, cascading down his whiskered-cheeks.

"Thank you......Hinata-chan....." he muttered in her ear. The only sound that could be heard was the boy's sobbing.

(Current Day: Forest of Death)

"Dammit, we lost it! Now we'll never know what that crazy feeling was....." Umi said, disappointed at their failure to find the source of that mysterious power. Naito just huffed and sighed, pulling her arms across her chest in slight annoyance.

"Then it's just one of life's greatest mysteries, now isn't it? C'mon, let's go. We're burning sunlight." she said in a bored tone. She walked ahead of her teammates, who followed after her.

"At least we got our second scroll." Masato said optimistically, holding the earth scroll in his hand. He slipped it into his pouch before continuing. The team they pilfered from was not very strong, making the battle last all of five seconds. Naito was disappointed, of course, by the lack of resistance. She could never stand being bored.

The rustling of the surrounding bushes put his senses on edge. There was no wind that blew, which meant only one thing: there was an enemy waiting in the shadows. He discreetly looked to his two female teammates and saw that they had noticed as well. Pretending to be ignorant of their enemy, they waiting for them to make the first move.

Sure enough, a kunai flew from the trees above, targeting the back of Umi's head. The cyan haired girl quickly pulled a kunai from her pouch and knocked the offending knife from the air. Her teammates quickly drew kunai of there own, prepared to fight off any adversary.

"You're pretty good if you could've seen that." a voice rang out. The Kiri trio looked about, trying to pinpoint their enemy's location.

"Whoever you are, show yourselves!" Naito shouted out to their unseen opponents.

"There's really no need for such animosity here. We're merely here to talk." a second voice echoed. _'Shit. I should've known they'd be a team.'_ the emerald haired girl mentally chided herself.

"It would be easier to do so if we could see your faces." Masato stated plainly as if it were common sense. Which, to an extent, it was.

"That shouldn't be a problem." a third voice, audibly younger than the others, answered. The three boys stepped out from the surroundings and into the sight of Masato and his team. One boy, the apparent leader of the team, had short shaggy black hair and dark navy blue eyes. He wore a black sleeveless vest over a white t-shirt, with black cargo shorts that reached his knees. He donned archer gloves on each hand, giving a hint of ambidexterity, and had black zori boots adorn his feet. He seemed precocious beyond his time, leading Umi to assume that he was the second voice speaking.

The second boy had spiky black hair and sea-green eyes. He wore a red cloak over a black undershirt. The cloak's midriff was cut away, letting it fall to his sides and revealing his shirt underneath. He wore black sweatpants with a black leather belt around his waist and the common zori sandals almost all shinobi wore. He seemed a lot younger than the other two: Masato presumed that he was the third person who spoke to them.

The last boy had ruffled dirty blonde hair and light brown eyes that seemed to radiant with a deep passion for life. He donned a dark blue – almost black – shirt, with the trimmings around his shoulders, waist and sleeves outlined in a much lighter shade. A symbol was etched into the back of his shirt. It consisted of a crescent moon with a star between the two ends, connecting them together. The symbol was circled and outlined in the same color as the trimmings were. He wore long sweatpants of the same shade, with a scabbard visibly at his side. Naito assumed that this mysterious boy was the first person to speak – and the one who threw the kunai at Umi's head.

"Who are you guys?" Umi asked. The first boy smiled slightly as they walked closer to the group.

"Isn't it polite to give your name first before asking for someone else's?" he asked in a respectful tone. His outward ness took her by surprise, as she slurred in her words for a second.

"R-Right. My name is Shuuha Umi. My teammates are Kusabana Naito and Hishimoto Masato." she said, introducing her teammates as well.

"Well met. I am Sageyoku Ishida. My teammates are Kashi Sukiko and Getsumei Kotaru." the boy said, his teammates acknowledging their introductions.

"What do you want to talk about, Ishida-san?" Masato asked carefully. He knew very well that this could be a ploy to steal their scrolls, but he was a bit more tactical than that. He was not going to fall for such a simple trick. Umi and Naito understood the underlying message their teammate sent them: 'don't let your guard down.'

"I think perhaps we should get comfortable. What we need to talk about isn't a topic most would believe in." the third boy, now established to be Kotaru, said to his teammates. Ishida nodded in response. What they were going to discuss was something they shouldn't even know about, but when you 'accidentally' discover the secret files on several of the world's Jinchuriki, you tend to act on impulse. It was through this method that they discovered they held dragon spirits as well, though they have yet to unlock their powers or contact their spirits in any way, shape or form.

However, they found that many of the Jinchuriki were still Genin; and were participating in the Chunin Exams. They requested their sensei to let them participate and she relented, telling them not to do anything reckless. With blessings from the village leader, the trio was off to the Chunin Exams – and to find the other Jinchuriki.

"What do you mean? What kind of topic would cause such controversy?" Umi asked, generally curious. It wasn't everyday something was described as 'unbelievable.'

"Have you heard of the word 'Jinchuriki?'" the second boy, Sukiko, asked. The trio pondered this for a moment. Something about that word was important, but they couldn't quite place their finger on it.

"...I can't really recall, though there is something about that word that I know is important to something." Masato admitted. The Ame trio smiled in recognition.

"That's because it is. A Jinchuriki is a person who was infused with a spirit at some point in their life. Most of the time it is at birth, but there are other circumstances to which a sealing can occur." Ishida explained. The Kiri Genin were taken back by this sudden secret.

"A spirit? Like from the demon realm?" Naito asked, half afraid of knowing the answer.

"I still don't see why they call it the 'demon realm' when only about a quarter of the spirits are evil." Sukiko said aloud, to which the Kiri Genin raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Why are you bothering to tell us this? What do we have anything to do with spirits and Jinchuriki?" Masato asked. The Ame Genin turned to him, looking almost regretful at the situation.

"Well, we have reason to believe that you three may very well be Jinchuriki." Kotaru stated.

"What do you mean by that? That we're some kind of demonic spirit in a human body?!" Naito asked, outraged at the accusation.

"No, no, nothing like that! What we mean is-" Sukiko was cut off when a shuriken flew past his cheek, a shallow cut piercing his skin. Umi reached for another star when Ishida stepped between the two.

"Hold on, there's really no need to fight!" he exclaimed, trying to calm them down.

"When a group of strangers comes looking for you to tell you that you're part demon, you better believe that the strangers have a death wish. Especially during the Chunin Exams." she stated dangerously. A light blue light began to glow in her hand as she prepared to strike.

"Wait." Masato said calmly, stepping in front of his teammates. The two girls looked at him, somewhat dazed at his sudden solemn expression.

"Masato.....kun...." Naito uttered breathlessly. The auburn haired boy walked towards Ishida, looking straight into the taller boy's eyes.

"Ishida-san........I believe you." he said dramatically. His teammates' jaws could be heard dropping as he looked to the other two Ame shinobi, who were in an equal amount of shock.

"Ever since the exams started, we've been feeling these strange chakra bursts and signatures that no human could possibly possess naturally. If what you say is true, then perhaps that is why we've been feeling this way." he explained. Umi and Naito suddenly remembered all of the bizarre feelings they have had over the course of the exam. They had chalked it up to the anxiety of the exam working up, but apparently they were wrong.

"Man, that makes this a whole lot easier. If you were stubborn about refusing to listen we were gonna be forced to fight when there was no need to. It would've been a waste of everyone's time." Sukiko said, sighing a breath of relief. The Kiri girls walked over to the ground, with Umi's hand glowing with healing chakra.

"I know how to use medical ninjutsu, so let me heal that cut on your cheek, since I'm the one that caused it." Umi said bashfully as Sukiko allowed it. As soon as she placed her hand on the wound, it closed and disappeared as if it never existed. What she failed to notice, however, was the blush that appeared in it's place.

"Thanks." Sukiko said quickly, praying to high heaven that she didn't see how red his cheeks felt. Masato turned to Ishida with an inquisitive expression plastered on his features.

"Okay. Let's hear it." he urged. Ishida nodded before speaking.

"I'll keep this short, since every moment out here is another moment death can come. To our knowledge, there is a man named Orochimaru who is searching for the Jinchuriki." he began.

"Orochimaru? You mean the Sannin who went rogue and founded Otogakure?" Naito asked.

"Yeah, though this guy isn't as nice as he portrays himself to the public. As a matter of fact he's downright evil. If you ever see what his experiments entail, you'll be quick to agree." Sukiko answered.

"Why is he searching for the Jinchuriki?" Umi asked.

"He's working in tandem with a criminal organization known as Akatsuki. We found the profiles of several members during our little 'spying mission' and saw that your village's Hoshigaki Kisame is a member of the group, as well as this village's Uchiha Itachi." Kotaru explained. Those names sent shivers down their spines. They had heard of what Uchiha Itachi had done to his clan, and Hoshigaki Kisame was one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist.

"So both this Orochimaru guy and these Akatsuki people are after the Jinchuriki? What reason could they have to track them down?" Masato asked.

"World domination. With the power of so many spirits under their command, Orochimaru or the Akatsuki could easily take over the world. Since they both have the same goal, we assume that they are opposite one another. However, we have information stating that Orochimaru used to be a member of the Akatsuki." Ishida explained.

"Have you told anyone else this?" Naito asked.

"We found the documents on order from our sensei. She felt that the village leader was hiding something and she knew of our talents as an espionage unit. Turns out she was right. He was hiding the documents depicting some of the Jinchuriki, the Akatsuki and Orochimaru. Apparently he didn't want us to worry about these things. If we told anyone else, we'd be suspected of treason." Kotaru answered.

"Why did you decide to share this with us?" Masato asked. That seemed to be the question they were waiting for, as all three adopted serious expressions. Ishida reached into his pouch and brought out almost a full score of photos.

"These photographs are pictures of the Jinchuriki we found files on. There may be more, but this is all we got so far." he said, setting them down for the Kiri Genin to peer at. Upon scanning through the photos, they recognized many of them as other Genin from the exam. Masato found a picture of the blonde boy from before and his eyebrows rose in surprise. He found himself looking at a blonde replica of himself. Everything was the same, save for the blonde's whiskered cheeks. The most shocking, however, were the pictures they found depicting themselves. Umi seemed to be near tears as Naito stared at them in disbelief. Masato just sat back with a wide-eyed expression, his mind and heart in deadlock conflict with each other.

This just was not his day.

(Current Day: Forest of Death)

Taiyou was quietly ecstatic. His team had effortlessly claimed their second scroll and were almost at the tower. They were going to make it to the third exam, which was quite a feat for rookies such as themselves. Speaking of rookies, he wondered how Naruto was faring. He hadn't seen his old friend since the second exam started, and he only hoped he was doing well.

"Hey Taiyou-kun! Look over there! It's the tower!" Natoyo said excitedly, pointing in the distance. Sure enough, the tower was just over the horizon. If they hurried, they would make it within fifteen minutes.

"Alright! We're almost there!" Aki said in anticipation. They were quite proud of themselves and had every right to be. They had recovered both of their scrolls within two days time and were a few mere minutes away from completing the second exam.

They reached the edge of the forest, panting all the while with large smiles on their faces. They had arrived and were just about to enter the tower when another presence made itself known. They turned to find three Genin from Suna standing across from them.

(Concurrently: Forest of Death)

Kouen couldn't help but smile as he fingered the Heaven Scroll he held in his pouch. Stealing it from those Kusa losers was way too easy. Here they were, ready to move on to the third stage of the Chunin Exams. He noted that Hikari was overly excited about being able to go for Chunin rank, while Subaru was silently smiling to himself. An indication that the quiet boy was just as excited as his cousin was.

He was slightly disappointed that they never met that blonde haired Konoha kid, but then again he'd probably be at the finals anyway. He didn't quite know how his teammates felt on the matter: knowing them, though, they were probably upset about it too.

"We're almost at the tower. C'mon, let's put a move on it!" Hikari said, her anxiety starting to get to her.

"H-Hey Hikari-chan! Hold up! Wait for us!" Kouen called after her, his pleas falling on deaf ears as she was easily a few dozen meters ahead of them now.

"Ah Hikari-nee-chan, just as impatient as ever." Subaru mused as they chased down their runaway teammate.

They arrived at the tower within a few moments time, only to find another team from Konoha standing at the gate. They appeared to have just arrived a few minutes before.

"Oh, you finished up too? We were just going inside." Taiyou said, offering a reason for their presence.

"Yeah. I guess that means we'll be seeing each other in the finals." Hikari remarked. There was no hiding the tense atmosphere between the two groups. Now was not the time to fight, but something inside them wanted to go at it. Suppressing the urge to battle, Natoyo decided to make introductions.

"I'm Mokusuke Natoyo. These are my teammates Mokushi Taiyou and Naga Aki. It's nice to meet you." she said smiling, though it was somewhat forced.

"Same here. My name is Arano Kouen, and my teammates are Aisuru Hikari and Hora Subaru." Kouen said introductory.

"You guys seem pretty strong to make it to the end this quickly. I hope we'll get to see how strong once the third exam starts." Aki stated.

"You got here before us. I'm just as curious about you guys." Subaru offered. On the inside, the Genin were struggling against their emotions.

"_Why do I feel like fighting them? They seem so nice and they haven't provoked us at all. I also don't wanna waste chakra before the third exam. It wouldn't be wise to start a conflict so early in the exams."_ Taiyou thought.

"_These guys must be pretty strong to have made it this far. I wonder if I'll have to face any of them. If not, then I guess I'll have to wait until the finals."_ Aki thought.

"_Man, I can cut the tension with a kunai! What in God's name is this feeling of animosity? I hope we didn't do anything to piss them off....."_ Natoyo thought.

"_These three are pretty nice people, but there's something about them that makes me want to pound their faces into the ground. This better not be my internal instincts again! Last time I followed them, I was almost killed! Well, it was almost by Hikari-chan and it was because I accidentally went into the girl's locker room....."_ Kouen thought, a faint blush on his cheeks.

"_Something tells me that facing these three in battle would prove to be a battle worthy of the ages, though doing so now would be unwise. I think I'll wait until the third exam begins."_ Subaru thought.

"_My gut instinct is telling me that I should watch myself around these guys. Then again, I stopped listening to instincts after that one time Kouen 'accidentally' went into the girl's locker room."_ Hikari thought, blushing slightly at the memory (though whether from embarrassment or anger cannot be discerned).

Ignoring the foreign feelings of malice, the Genin entered the building beside them, ready to partake in the third exam. Little did they know of the battles that would take place.

(Later: Forest of Death)

Naruto sat alone under a tree, the shade providing a sense of comfort for his troubled heart. Without a word, he had left the camp after revealing his secret, not particularly caring what the others did or said at the moment. Now, he was reminiscing on the days of old, when life didn't seem to be so damn complicated. His senses flared as a familiar presence appeared next to him. He didn't need to turn to know who it was.

"Hey Hinata." he greeted the newcomer. Hinata sat next to him, ignoring the solemn look on his face.

"Naruto-kun.....are you okay?" she asked carefully. She knew all too well that Naruto was not very stable emotionally, and he could easily snap if provoked. A morose sigh escaped his throat as he leaned back against the tree.

"I dunno. I just told my biggest secret to people I hardly even know, and I haven't the slightest clue in hell of even guessing how they reacted." he admitted.

"Everyone is worried about you. We gave you your alone time, but now is the time to let someone else in. Remember, you're not alone anymore." she replied quietly. He looked at her, somewhat surprised at her sudden outward ness.

"I.....I guess you're right. When did you learn to speak so freely, Hinata?" he asked, generally curious. The Hyuga heiress smiled as she placed a hand over her stomach – right over her seal.

"I have two people I need to thank for that." she replied. This confused the blonde, but he decided not to push it. He might be treading some delicate ground and he didn't wish to upset her.

"I see. I hope they know how special they are to you." he replied. For some reason, he couldn't help but feel envious of the people she spoke of.

"One knows it exactly, but the other doesn't quite get it yet. I'm hoping I can reach him over time." she acknowledged. She stifled a giggle at the shocked expression on his face.

"How can he not know yet?" he asked. She shrugged her shoulders before looking out into the sky.

"I'm not sure, but I don't mind. He's always there when I need him, and I want to be there for him too. From now on, I promise that I'll always be there for him, even if the rest of the world walks out on him. That's my nindo – my ninja way." she decided.

"I have to admit, this guy's got a great friend if he's got you, Hinata." Naruto stated. She smiled softly, a light blush on her cheeks.

"Thank you, Naruto-kun. I know that since they've been helping me overcome my timid nature that I can trust them with my life." she replied.

"Yeah, I noticed you seem to talk so much easier now. I guess it's thanks to those two, huh?" he asked.

"Yes. I owe them a lot. One for showing me what my life could be, and the other for helping me find the person I truly am." she said precociously, her pearly gaze centered towards the setting sun. Naruto decided to be bold at the moment and ask the question that was bugging him.

"If you don't mind me asking, who are these lucky people that have such a great friend?" he asked. She smiled before making a gesture with her hand. She seemed to be pointing to her naval. Then, she lightly tapped him on the bridge of his nose, making him blush slightly. She walked away, a contented smile on her face. Yonbi smiled approvingly in the seal.

"_**That was quite a feat, cub."**_ she remarked.

"_I was nervous, oh God was I nervous! It took almost everything I had to keep from stuttering! But, this is Naruto-kun we're talking about, and he's more important to me then my own insecurities."_ Hinata admitted to her.

"_**Do you think he understood that last gesture you gave him?" **_Yonbi asked. The Hyuga mentally shrugged.

"_I'm not sure, but even if he didn't, I'll always stand by him. Even if the whole world walks out on him, Naruto-kun will always have me."_ she replied.

Naruto stared after Hinata's retreating form, the way the golden rays of sunlight seemed to make her skin glow with a mysterious radiance akin to that of a goddess. Her words came back to him as he thought about what she said. _'I wonder who this guy is....man, I hope I get that close to Hinata.'_ he thought. Kyuubi mentally sighed at his container's lack of understanding. _**'Oh kit, you've still got a lot to learn......'**_ he mused.

(At camp)

Rika watched Hinata reenter the camp, knowing exactly where she'd been. She walked over to her with a small smile on her face.

"So, did you manage to get him out of the dumps?" she asked. Hinata sighed before sitting down.

"I think I got his mind off of the whole Kyuubi thing, but I'm not sure he got the message. Thanks for the advice anyway." she said. Rika chuckled lightly at her responded. It _was_ her idea to innocently hint at something else and take advantage of the boy's natural curiosity. Apparently it worked, as Naruto strode into camp a few moments later looking renewed and refreshed.

"Okay guys, let's finish up this exam and get the hell out of this deathtrap!" he announced to the others.

"Finally! Could you have _been_ any longer?" Kiba asked, annoyed at the blonde's procrastination.

"Shut it dog breath or we could just leave you here for the snakes. They're pretty big and I'm pretty sure have an appetite to match." Naruto warned. The Inuzuka blanched at this, rather he preferred walking alongside the group mumbling something about 'stupid sadistic blonde-haired Jinchuriki' under his breath.

"Does everyone have the needed scrolls to move on?" Rika asked the group before setting out.

"Yes. We have attained our scroll after our confrontation with the Sound Genin." Shino reported to her.

"Same here. The scrolls are all with our shared supplies and there's enough for each team." Sasuke replied.

"Alright then, let's shove off!" Naruto exclaimed once more, leading the group like a proud commander of an army. _'Who knew the dobe could be so commanding?'_ Sasuke asked himself as they followed him. Takato and Takuya were the scouts, making sure that there were no enemies waiting in ambush for them, with Hinata's Byakugan greatly assisting in the effort. Kiba and Shino were the rear guardsmen, ready to defend in case of an attack from behind. Hinata was in the middle of the group, with Rika and Sasuke on either side. Naruto and Sakura were in up front, making sure to keep track of all their surroundings.

As they walked, Sakura's thoughts and emotions were locked together in a mighty war debating if she should apologize to Naruto for her behavior or let it slide and start anew. So far, her guilty emotions were winning.

"Hey, uh, Naruto, can I talk to you for a moment?" she asked, somewhat hesitantly. She wasn't sure if this was a subject she was comfortable speaking of. She was still new to this topic, and God knows that Naruto seemed to be an expert in it already.

"Sure, what is it?" he replied curiously. She audibly sighed and took in a deep breath. It was now or never.

"I wanted to say that I'm sorry for how I treated you in the past. Sure you were an annoying little twerp but that wasn't an excuse for how I acted towards you. You'd already received enough hell from the villagers, and the insults and scorn you received from our classmates most definitely did not help your sense of self-worth. I wanted to know if you could forgive me and if we could start over as friends of equal grounds, neither of us better than the other." she replied sincerely. Her voice was ridden with sadness and regret as she wiped a small tear from her eye. Naruto looked at her surprised that she had apologized for the past. It never really mattered to him, since he was used to being left all on his own, but for someone to actually say 'I'm sorry' had to be one of the most poignant moments of his life.

"Sakura.....you're forgiven. What's past is past, and the future is still open for all of us. I'd be happy to be your friend if you don't mind it." he replied happily. She nodded, smiling brightly.

"Thank you, Naruto." she replied as though a weight was lifted from her heart. The small brigade continued in content silence as the sounds of nature was the only thing to grace their ears.

(A few hours later: Forest of Death)

The nine Genin looked up at the massive tower before them. It was at least twenty stories tall, the kanji for 'fire' carved into the wood, looking out into the forest.

"So this is the examination tower?" Takuya asked.

"It's pretty big, isn't it?" Rika said, looking up into the sky to try and spot the tip of the building.

"Well, let's not just stand all day here gawking at it. C'mon, let's head inside before another team jumps us." Sasuke urged, heading towards the door.

"As much as I hate to admit it, Teme's got a point. If we stand here too long, someone else might come by and catch us with our guards down. Besides, after everything that's happened in this forest, I can't wait to get out of it." Naruto admitted.

"Okay, let's head inside then." Hinata replied. The nine walked into the building and into a wide tiled room. The only object in the room was a large poster with some writing on it.

"What does that say?" Takato asked, indicating the poster hanging on the wall. Sakura looked to the poster with a curious gaze, looking over its contents before translating.

"'The path of life begins with the first steps. At crossroads, one decides his own destiny. His way, his....blank.....determines where he shall go and when he shall succeed.'" she quoted.

"There's a letter missing from the message. What does it mean?" Kiba asked.

"I'm not sure, but now would be a good time to open our scrolls." Naruto suggested. The others nodded. Naruto, Rika and Hinata took their team's scrolls and opened them hastily. The scrolls were inscribed with seals arranged in a circular pattern around the center of the paper. Suddenly, smoke began to billow out from the center, alerting the Genin.

"Throw them away! They're summon scrolls!" Sasuke shouted out in alarm. Partly on his order and partly in shock at his outburst, the Genin tossed their scrolls onto the ground, where smoke quickly blocked their vision. Upon the return of their sight, they saw three people standing in front of them. One was a Chunin with light brown hair tied in a ponytail on his head, a scar along the bridge of his nose. The second was a woman with long black hair wearing a white tunic with a single red sleeve on her right arm. The last was a man with dark purple hair and blue eyes. He wore the standard outfit for a Jonin of Kumogakure.

"Congratulations on completing the exams." they said in unison. Suddenly, Naruto embraced the man in front of him in a bear hug.

"Iruka-sensei! Man am I ever glad to see you!" he shouted happily. Iruka laughed at his outburst, not entirely blaming him for it. The forest was hell on earth to many people.

"I'm glad to see you're still in the exams. I'm also a little surprised that you made it here so quickly. It's only the second day into the exam." he admitted.

"Yes, that is impressive, especially considering you all came together. And you hardly looked injured at all." the woman remarked.

"That would be due to our new friends from Kumogakure, Kurenai-sensei." Hinata said happily.

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Misumi Rika and these are my teammates Icuchi Takato and Icuchi Takuya." Rika said in an introductory tone.

"I'm Yuuhi Kurenai, sensei to Team 8." Kurenai replied.

"I'm Umino Iruka, Academy instructor and former sensei of these six." Iruka said.

"Nice to meet you. This is our sensei, Rukio Bennosuke." Takato said, looking at the purple haired man beside him.

"It's nice to meet you all. Thank you for helping my team through the forest." Bennosuke said to the Genin.

"They helped us a lot more than we did them, but you're welcome anyway!" Naruto replied happily. Hinata smiled quietly to herself. Naruto's previous stress seemed to have disappeared, his cheerful demeanor once more for all the world to see. She supposed that the discovery of several Jinchuriki has put his mind at ease.

"So, what are you guys doing here? Is there some kind of moral point to the exam we failed to comprehend?" Sasuke asked, cutting straight to the business at hand. Iruka cleared his throat before speaking.

"Yes. You see, the point of this exam was to test your survival skills and your ability to handle secret information. If you had so much as peaked at those scrolls, I would've appeared and knocked you out. Thankfully though you didn't." he explained.

"What's with that saying on the wall? There's a letter missing that keeps it from making sense." Takuya said.

"That missing letter is the individual qualities a shinobi possesses that can make or break a battle. Love, determination, friendship, courage, hope and confidence are all examples of this. The message is blank because it represents the road you have yet to take in your lives." Bennosuke explained for his pupil. Takuya looked at his friends thoughtfully before smiling.

"I got it, sensei." he replied. The other senseis seemed content with their students' response to this information and went on to explain that they were to stay inside the tower until the exam was over. They were free to look around, but not leave the premises unless escorted by an authorized shinobi.

Just as Iruka was about to leave, Naruto grabbed his wrist and adapted a serious expression on his face. The Chunin knew that something was amiss.

"Iruka-sensei, I need to see the Hokage. Something has come up that he needs to know about."


	5. The Preliminary Stretch

**Jinchuriki of the Leaf Chap. 5**

Sarutobi was reclining back from his paperwork, his dreaded enemy seemingly unable to be merciful. How did Minato do it? He had never learned the man's secret to dealing with it so quickly. This was probably the worse aspect of being Hokage, and his next successor will learn that the hard way.

A rapping at the door stirred him from his thoughts. Yet again the Gods have graced him with a distraction from his paperwork. Silently thanking his guardian deities, he coaxed his visitors into his office. He was surprised to see Iruka and Naruto, the latter looking as though he lost a fight with a wild bull, walk into his office.

"Ah, Naruto. I see you've made it through the second exam. And in such impressive timing as well. Not even I made it through the forest as fast as you and your friends have." he said in a congratulatory tone.

"If you ask me, we spent enough time in Hell already. I feel sorry for those poor suckers still in there!" Naruto replied. Iruka looked at his ex-student with a concerned glance.

"What exactly happened in there that you wished to speak with the Hokage about, Naruto?" he asked. The blonde looked to the ground with a solemn expression.

"Yesterday.......my team and I.....we were ambushed. It was obviously no ordinary Genin, just from the chakra signature he radiated, but when he told us who he was I thought for sure that I was going to die." he explained.

"Who is this mysterious competitor that nearly killed you?" Sarutobi asked calmly.

"......Orochimaru." As soon as that name left his lips, he instantly regretted ever mentioning it. A silent veil coated the room, the two adults in shock at this revelation.

"Orochimaru has.....returned?!" Iruka repeated. His surrogate son nodded in response.

"He's plotting something, and it's obvious that he views us Jinchuriki as a threat. He even sent two teams of Sound Genin after us. If Rika's team and Hinata-chan's team didn't show up when they did, I don't know where I'd be right now." Naruto continued.

"Rika? Who's Rika?" the Chunin asked.

"She's a Genin from Kumo. She is also a Jinchuriki, like myself, her teammates Takato and Takuya, Sakura, Sasuke and Hinata-chan. In total, there's seven of us. Kiba and Shino know about it too, being Hinata-chan's teammates and all." he explained. Now it was Sarutobi's turn to be surprised.

"Seven Jinchuriki? You've already met seven of them?" he asked.

"Yes. Considering Shichibi and Hachibi aren't easy opponents, I think I did pretty well for myself against them and Orochimaru. Of course, they beat the hell outta each other too....." he said.

"Do you know what happened to him?" Sarutobi asked.

"He disappeared before I defeated Hachibi and Shichibi. He knew that we were going to unleash a great amount of power and he didn't want to die because of it. He vowed vengeance and then sank into the ground. The 'assassins' he sent after us mentioned that he was heavily injured when they met with him, so I assume that means we made a mark." Naruto replied. The old Hokage sat back in his chair with a sigh. If only.....no. Now was not the time to regret. Now was the time to act and correct a mistake of the past. _'Orochimaru......you were once my prized pupil. What in the world could have made you turn to the dark?'_ he asked himself.

"Perhaps we should postpone the Chunin exams....." he considered aloud.

"Um, hey, no offense Jiji, but I don't think that'd be a good idea." Naruto said. Sarutobi raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Oh? And why not?" he asked.

"Well, with all of the Genin visiting from other countries, I figured that there would be quite a few Jinchuriki among them. That, and if Orochimaru knows we're onto him, he'll probably strike quicker and harder than we are prepared for. We should keep the exams running as to avoid suspicion and to try and build up our own forces here at home." he explained. Sarutobi nodded at his reasoning.

"I see.....very well. The exams will continue as scheduled. I will allow you to act in this situation as you see fit. Also, I think I would like to meet those of whom you have discovered to be Jinchuriki as well." His statement had Naruto's eyebrows raised to his hairline. Iruka's expression differed little.

"B-But, Hokage-sama! You still have many important affairs to attend to, and-"

"If the safely of my village isn't the most important affair for a Hokage to attend to, then please enlighten me as to what is?" the old man cut him off. The instructor stayed silent. The Hokage turned his attention to Naruto once more.

"Now, can you please escort me to your friends, Naruto-kun?" he asked kindly. The blonde nodded the affirmative and the three left the office.

(Current Day: Exam Tower)

Hinata was lying on her bed, her thoughts adrift in the memories of recent events. It was still so hard to believe. If Yonbi-chan hadn't explained it all to her, she would be lost and confused. However, she was feeling quite the opposite. She was never more certain of anything in her life. She was going to help Naruto-kun, even if it killed her.

The door opening snapped her from her thoughts. Sitting up, she spied Takato walking into the room. He waved at her with a smile, to which she responded with a nod and a smile.

"Hello, Lady Hinata. I hope I didn't disturb you." he said.

"No, I'm quite alright; and please, don't stand on ceremony with me. We are allies, and no such formalities need to exist between us." she replied. He shrugged.

"Sorry. It's a force of habit. My mother always told me to be respectful to women, especially if that woman happens to be a member of a noble house." he said. Hinata's smile faltered slightly.

"That is.....not a position I particularly enjoy." she admitted. Takato seemed confused by her remark.

"Why so? Most people would kill to become the heir or heiress of a noble family, even more so for a famed house like Hyuga or Uchiha." he said.

"My clan is one of segregation and abuse. The values of love, harmony and unity we once held dear are now considered weak in comparison to the elders' need of strength, power and wealth. My father is no better than them......" she stopped herself, it being a difficult topic to discuss aloud. She willed her eyes not to tear up.

"......I'm sorry. That was a tough topic for you. I didn't mean to offend you." Takato said apologetically. He didn't realize that the life of a noble clansman was so difficult. Maybe his life of poverty was more of a blessing in disguise than first believed.

"It's alright. You didn't know." she replied. She brushed the long bang at the side of her face to the side, several strands sweeping across her delicate skin.

"I wanted to thank you for helping us in the forest." she said. He laughed a little.

"What, that? It was no big deal. We've vowed to help our kin, whether or not they realized it at the time. Kumo is home to many Jinchuriki and we've become pretty close, almost like a family. I certainly view them as such." Takato said.

"It sounds like you're very close with your friends. I wish I had that kind of relationship with my father. My mother died when I was a little girl, and his heart seemed to harden as a result. Many people have told me that I share her image so well that I may be her twin. I'm just upset that my little sister never had the chance to meet her." Hinata explained.

"Your sister isn't the only one who never knew a parent. My father died on a mission a long time ago, when Takuya and I were just babies. We were nine months old when he passed, and my mother isn't a ninja, so money became scarce. As we grew older, we became interested in becoming ninja like our father, but she forbade us from entering the Academy since she was scared of losing us too.

Instead, we became pickpockets, trying to steal enough money to help our mother and keep her from overworking herself. She never knew about it, and we came home bruised from being beaten several times. We had to lie about it, and she was grateful about the extra money we brought in. Then, one day, Rika caught us after we stole her bracelet. After we talked, she decided to train us in the ninja arts in the same way her sensei had. We were discovered one day by the Raikage himself, and he invited us to attend the Academy. Our mother was at first hostile to the idea, but after seeing how well we got along with Rika, she relented.

After that, we met with the other Kumo Jinchuriki one-by-one during our Academy years, and we vowed to always help innocent people in need. Once we graduated, we started a mercenary guild that took missions people couldn't afford to pay for. Our sensei entered the three of us into the Chunin Exams to try and find the other Jinchuriki living in other villages. Unlike here, we were treated pretty well in our village. Though, our lives at home were less than pleasant. There was something missing from each of our lives that made them seem so lonely. We didn't want others to know that pain, though it seemed we were too late in helping Naruto. We're here now and that's what matters."

Hinata looked at the floor as Takato's story ended. _'He's been through so much......and yet he's never given up. Just like Naruto-kun.'_ she thought. She took his silence as an invitation to speak.

"Thank you for sharing your story, Takato-kun." she said softly.

"I think I went a little overboard with it, but once I started, I just couldn't stop." he admitted.

"My, that was quite a story." an elderly voice remarked from behind them. Sarutobi walked into the room, with Naruto right after. The blonde wore a small smile and seemed generally proud.

"Takato, man, that was one helluva tale. I'd be honored if you, Takuya and Rika were to serve alongside me in the future as allies and even more so as friends." he said. Takato nodded in response.

"Of course. Like I said, we came here to find the other Jinchuriki." he said. Then, turning to the Hokage, he gave a respectful bow to the older man.

"Hokage-sama, it is an honor to meet you." he said in a revered tone.

"Please, there is no need for formalities. You have done a great justice to our village, as well as your own. Be proud of your actions and continue to follow your heart. It will serve you well." Sarutobi said. Takato flushed slightly, bowing his head to try and hide it.

"T-thank you, Hokage-sama." he replied shyly.

"Um......forgive my impudence, Hokage-sama, but what exactly are you doing here?" Hinata asked the old leader.

"Jiji-san wanted to meet the other Jinchuriki to tell us something. Have you guys seen the others around here?" Naruto replied. She shook her head in response.

"Sorry, but I haven't seen them since breakfast this morning." she replied.

"I think Rika and Takuya are in the examination room. I remember them talking about wanting to check it out." Takato suggested. Suddenly, the black haired girl burst into the room.

"Naruto-san! Takato-kun! Hinata-san! You're not gonna believe this!" Rika shouted hurriedly.

"Rika-chan, what's wrong?" Hinata asked as the three young ninja approached their friend.

"It's them! Those Sound creeps that attacked you in the forest! Twelve Sound Genin just arrived here, and those six are included!" she reported. Their eyes widened in shock.

"What?! They recovered all their scrolls already?! They're more skilled than I thought....." Naruto muttered to himself.

"That's not all of it." Takuya said, entering the room. All eyes turned to him.

"Of the twelve, half were the ones we fought in the forest. However, the other half.....there is something about them that I can't quite place my finger on. They aren't as malevolent and arrogant as the others. They seem to have some kind of resentment towards the other six, judging by the way they acted, though they may not be strong enough to defend themselves against them." he reported. Naruto pondered this for a moment before responding.

"I guess we'll just have to wait and ride it out. Unlike the old six, the new six we know little to nothing about. Let's bide our time and observe their actions, motives and morals during the exams, then we can make our decision as to whether or not they are friend or foe." he said.

"My, my, Naruto, quite the tactician, aren't you?" Sarutobi said, impressed with the boy's quick synopsis of the situation. His voice alerted Rika to his presence, making her blush in embarrassment before bowing before him respectfully.

"M-My apologies, Hokage-sama. I didn't know you were present...." she admitted bashfully. The older man let out a hearty laugh.

"It's no trouble, child. I presume you are Misumi Rika, the girl who assisted Naruto and his friends during the second exam?" he asked.

"Y-Yes, Hokage-sama. My teammates and I did lend our support to Naruto-san and his comrades during a battle in the forest." she confirmed.

"Then you have my thanks. Naruto-kun is a very strong ninja and a very close friend, almost like family to me. It would be a devastating loss to have him killed in action." the Hokage said.

"It was no trouble. We've vowed to protect the innocent and our comrades no matter what." she replied. The Hokage raised an eyebrow in curiosity._ 'She's much like Naruto.....'_ he thought. Suddenly, Takuya pointed an accusing finger at the young girl.

"Rika, what was up with just running away like that?! You could've at least told me what you were doing! Damn, I thought you got yourself hurt or something!" he reprimanded her.

"Oops.....sorry Takuya-kun, but I thought that Naruto-san and the others needed to know about the Sound Genin as soon as possible. Hehehe....." she sweat-dropped embarrassedly.

"Obviously, she's unharmed. Honestly, nii-san, have a little more faith that that." Takato stated. Takuya was taken aback by his statement.

"H-Hey, I trust her! I just don't trust those Sound jerks! Those six from the forest are blood-thirsty monsters, while those other six are very suspicious." he rebutted.

"And this, Jiji-san, is the average day in the life of a Jinchuriki." Naruto said to his surrogate grandfather in a joking tone. Takuya turned to the person he was speaking to and promptly repeated Rika's previous actions.

"Ah! L-Lord Hokage! My apologies, I was unaware of your presence." he said, bowing apologetically.

"My, I wonder if _all_ children in Kumo are this kind. Please, like your friends, there is no need to stand on ceremony." Sarutobi said. Takuya stood erect, complying with the Hokage's decision.

"Yes......um, Hokage-sama, exactly what are you doing here anyway?" he found himself asking. Sarutobi looked at Naruto, who seemed to understand what he wanted.

"Naruto-kun, can you fetch your other friends? I have something I would like to share with you all." he requested.

"Right. Be back in a few!" the blond responded, leaving the room to find the others in the tower. Sarutobi turned his gaze away from the four Jinchuriki present in the room. How would they react? Shock and surprise, probably, but anything else was still up in the air.

_'Minato......Kushina......your final dream is going to become reality.'_

(Current Day: Exam Tower)

Masato, Ishida and their respective teams had arrived at the central tower only an hour ago. Only two days remained in the exam, but he doubted any other teams were going to arrive. However, this was not his primary concern.

Ever since they were told about the Jinchuriki, Naito and Umi seemed depressed. He didn't know what to say to them, his own emotions a bundled mess. The three Ame Genin seemed to understand their plight and left them to their own thoughts. Something he was grateful for. It was obvious, though, that their behavior was beginning to worry them.

"Hey, you okay?" he heard Sukiko ask from behind. He turned to meet the black haired boy, his face smiling but his eyes frowning.

"Yeah, I'm alright." he replied quietly.

"Nice try. Your eyes give you away. I understand that you being a Jinchuriki is something hard to accept, but think about that blonde kid you were telling us about. He's a Jinchuriki, yet he's still giving it his all. If he can do it, then why can't you?" he asked rhetorically. Masato thought about it for a moment. Sukiko did have a valid point. That boy was also a Jinchuriki and he was making something of his life, not wallowing in despair at the implications of being a Jinchuriki. This time, a true smile appeared on his features.

"Yeah.....you're right. If he can do it, then why can't I?" he repeated, his resolve fortifying itself.

"That's one depression over. Now if only your two friends would be willing to listen....." Sukiko stated nonchalantly. Masato laughed at his remark.

"They can be stubborn when it comes to their emotions. Maybe I can talk with them." he offered. The Ame boy shrugged in response.

"Eh, knock yourself out." he replied. The auburn haired boy left him in the room, off to find his two teammates. Sukiko turned to a corner of the room, smirking slightly.

"Okay Kotaru, you can come out now." he said aloud. Within a moment's time, the blonde haired Genin faded into view, his arms folded across his chest.

"Ever the altruist, aren't you?" he asked jokingly.

"Yep! Better he know it now than later!" he replied.

"So, you think we should try to find any other Jinchuriki here?" Kotaru asked.

"No, not yet. We don't want to trigger events that we're not ready to handle. That blonde kid though......I'd like to speak with him." Sukiko admitted.

"True, he did make quite a speech back during the first exam." a new voice chimed in. The two boys looked to see Ishida standing in the doorway.

"Ishida! You should really warn us next time you do that." Kotaru stated.

"Sorry. Anyway, you have a point Sukiko. There's a possibility that he knows more about it than we do." Ishida offered.

"Chances are he made it to the third exam. Do you want to speak with him afterwards?" Sukiko asked.

"Yes, if only to clear up the mysteries a little bit more. There is still much we do not understand. Why were we chosen? How do we use our powers? Which spirits do we house? These questions and more plague my mind." he replied.

"In time, we'll find our answers. For now, though, we must sit back and allow fate to take its course." the blonde offered, ending the conversation. He mentally sighed. He hoped that's what would happen, anyway.

(Current Day: Exam Tower)

Takeshi reclined in his bed, his mind racing with thoughts on recent events. Those kids that Arashi's squad fought in the forest were no pushovers. They made them look like Academy students, and they do not take such humility very well. He thought them lucky to be alive after that onslaught.

The presence of a new person made itself known, making Takeshi sit up. Yuzu walked into the room, her arms stretched over her head, working the tension from her muscles. She smiled, spun around on her heels and fell back onto the bed next to him.

"Ah, what bliss! I haven't had such a comfortable bed in ages! Man, people in Konoha sure do know how to live." she said in pure ecstasy. Takeshi humbly agreed.

"This is definitely better than those old cots we have back in Oto." he said. Yuzu turned to face him, her short blonde hair falling across her face as she did so.

"Hey, Takeshi, do you think we'll pass the exam?" she asked. He looked at her oddly. They were going to invade Konoha during the exam, so why bother wondering if you were to pass it?

"I'm not sure. Why do you ask?" he asked. She sighed solemnly as she lied herself on her back.

"I want to know if I'm truly strong enough for this. So far, we only lasted because Arashi and his Dork Squad helped us, but now we're on our own. Are we really this weak, or are we really ready for this? That's why I wanted to know." she admitted.

Takeshi looked to the ground at her statement. She was right to question their worth. _Were_ they ready for this? Could they muster the strength to betray the Sound during the invasion?

"I'm sorry Yuzu, but I can't answer that question for you." he said apologetically.

"I don't think you were meant to. I think that question can only be answered by destiny." she replied. He smiled slightly.

"Well then, we'll just have to wait and see what destiny's answer is." he replied. She smiled and laughed, propping her head up with her hands.

"Yeah, I guess we do." she replied.

(Current Day: Exam Tower)

Taiyou was absentmindedly walked around the tower. He probably would be training right now, but there was no room for it. There was nothing to do and he was bored. So. Damned. Bored. That wasn't a statement you could make often when you were a ninja. Not by a long shot.

As he was walking, he failed to notice someone running down the hall, who was also not paying close attention. They collided with one another, with the other person being launched back by their own inertia.

"Ah, I'm sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going!" the other person replied. Taiyou's eyes snapped open as he recognized the voice of the boy.

"Naruto, is that you?!" he asked in shock. Naruto looked up and saw that the person he had bumped into was his old friend Taiyou! What were the odds!

"Taiyou! Wow, it's been so long since we've seen each other! How have you been, buddy?" Naruto asked. Taiyou suppressed a laugh, but couldn't hide his smile. _He hadn't changed too much after all_, he thought.

"I've been doing pretty good. I'm not dead, so that's a damn good thing." he joked. The blonde smiled at him in response.

"Are Natoyo and Aki doing well?" he asked.

"They're both in good health."

"That's great! We should get together sometime after the exams!"

"Yeah, I'd like that. So, has Uchiha driven you insane yet?"

"Ha! Like that teme could even hold a candle to me anymore! I've practically increased my skills tenfold since the academy!"

"Really? Then I'm looking forward to seeing you fight in the third exam. Just so you know, I've gotten better too."

"You better have, otherwise I'd kick your ass for being like Shikamaru on the job!"

"Ha ha, you're funny, Naruto."

"What, it's true! He's lazier than a sloth, I swear!"

"Hahahahahaha! That _is_ true!"

"Told you! Well, I gotta go. I have to find my teammates somewhere in this place, so I'll talk to you later!"

"See ya later, Naruto! And don't do anything reckless!"

Naruto waved behind him as he rounded a corner, biding farewell to his friend for now. Taiyou chuckled lightly at the encounter. Some things just never change.

"Ah, Naruto, I don't think you're ever gonna change......good. You're better this way." he said aloud to no one. He continued his absentminded walk, now comforted with his friend's happy-go-lucky demeanor.

(Current Day: Exam Tower)

Hikari stroked the brush through her hair once more, straightening the purple locks and cleansing them of dirt. It was so relaxing to just kick back and enjoy herself every once in a while. With the invasion coming up within a month's time, she had a lot on her mind. What was the Kazekage thinking? She knew that Temari and Kankuro were against the war themselves. Gaara......he was a different story.

Gaara was a Jinchuriki, everyone knew that. He was alone for a good majority of his life, save for the bonds he made with Kouen, Subaru and herself. They were able to show him that good things can happen in life, and he was a little bit happier than he was. That was, until the Yashamaru incident.

His own uncle was hired as an assassin to try and kill Gaara. He was defeated thanks to the Shukaku's abilities, but the red-head took a heavy mental blow. He became colder and distant, only opening up to his few true friends and his siblings. Those occasions have become rarer and rarer nowadays, and Hikari wondered if Shukaku had anything to do with it.

Shukaku and Gaara were in a mental deadlock, both of them trying to gain control over the body they shared. If Gaara won, then the demon within him would become dormant and never bother him again. If Shukaku won, however, then Gaara's soul would be overshadowed and he would effectively die. There would be no chance for him to even go to the Afterlife.

She shuddered at the thought. She was infuriated at the fact that she could do nothing to help him either. It was his fight, and his fight alone. He could have no one help him. Only pray from the sidelines.

"Hey Hikari." Kouen greeted as he entered the room. She turned to meet him, only to be taken aback at what she saw. Standing beside her tan-haired teammate were none other than Temari, Kankuro and Gaara, each seemingly pleased to see her.

"Hey there Hikari. Long time no see." Temari greeted her younger friend. Hikari allowed herself a small smile.

"I didn't doubt you guys would make it here. It's been too long! How have you guys been doing?" she asked, good-natured.

"We've been doing fine. The exams have been a little too easy, though." Kankuro admitted.

"I wonder if the third exam will give us a challenge." Temari wondered.

"Did Takeshi and the others make it to the third exams?" Hikari asked.

"Yeah, we saw them a bit earlier. They're doing okay, with only minor injuries. Can't say the same for Arashi's squad, though. They looked like they lost a fight with a meat grinder." Kankuro replied.

"Really? It serves them right for being such jerks." Kouen stated. Temari laughed in response.

"It sure does! I'm just disappointed that I wasn't a part of the fun." she said.

"Maybe you'll get your chance during the exams." Hikari said.

"I hope so!" she replied. As Kouen picked up the conversation from there, Hikari noticed that Gaara hadn't moved or said much since entering the room. She was concerned for the boy, especially considering his problem. Deciding to strike up conversation with him, she approached him without fear, something Gaara rose an eyebrow to.

"Hey Gaara-san! I hope you've been doing well since we've last saw each other." she said.

".....I've been....okay." he replied stoically. She mentally sighed at his social mannerisms. She supposed she couldn't blame him. His childhood just plain sucked.

"That's good. I hope you do well in the third exam! You're too good a ninja to lose now, right?" she said.

"Yes, I suppose you're right." Gaara stated plainly.

"But don't forget that I'm a good shinobi too! I'll show you just how strong I've gotten since the last time we met!" she said. Temari and Kankuro were worried that her innocent conversing with their brother would end up putting her on his 'people-to-kill' list by accident.

"I'm looking forward to it." the redhead replied, much to the relief of his siblings.

"I hate to break up the conversation, but I think we should rest up before the third exam. We don't know exactly how strong our opponents will be and I don't want to leave that up to chance." Kouen suggested.

"Alright, if you say so. We'll catch you guys later." Kankuro agreed.

"See you guys later!" Hikari said, bidding them farewell as the trio left the room. Kouen looked to her sympathetically.

"I think the reason Gaara-san hasn't completely gone insane yet is because of the way you talk with him. He never had that before and it's probably showing him that he matters to someone in the world other than his siblings." he said.

"....I don't want him to lose, Kouen. He's been through so much that he never deserved. I get scared for him sometimes and he's so flippant and submissive about everything. It....It's like he's a shell of who he's supposed to be." Hikari admitted.

"C'mon Hikari. Let's get some rest. Your cousin would kill me if I let anything happen to you because I let you worry like this. You and I both know that Gaara will not lose that easily, so have a little faith in him, okay? Even if Shukaku breaks free, it's not invincible like Kyuubi was. We can always beat it back into him and seal it away again. The best thing you can do for him now is be his friend when he needs you." Kouen said.

"Yeah. I think I'm gonna get some sleep now." she said quietly. He watched her disappear into the doorway, making sure that she wasn't looking. He looked to the ground solemnly, his crimson eyes filled with regret. _'Hikari-chan.....I'm so sorry. When the invasion comes around, I'll have to betray you and Subaru. Who am I to talk about being true friends when I'm going to fight you?'_ he thought.

(The next day: Exam Tower)

The remaining Genin teams stood next to each other in rows of three, ready to receive their instructions for the third exam. Naruto's excitement was barely containable. _'This is it! The third stage! I'm so pumped, I can't wait to show exactly how much stronger I've become!'_ he thought.

_'Naruto-kun seems really excited about this. I can't blame him, though. I hope he does well.'_ Hinata thought.

_'So, these are the other competitors that survived. There sure are a lot of them. Ah well, more of a challenge for me.'_ Sasuke thought.

_'Wow, I didn't think so many competitors would be left! I guess it doesn't matter. I can't let Naruto and the others down now!'_ Sakura thought. The Hokage stood before them with their senseis, as well as a variety of other Chunin and Jonin overseeing the exams. As he cleared his throat, the room fell silent.

"Welcome all to the third portion of the Chunin Exams. You have all worked hard and persevered through many difficult obstacles to reach where you are standing. However, there is now one more challenge that befalls you. Due to the vast amount of remaining Genin competitors, we are going to hold a preliminary round to see who will advance and whose exam journey ends here. These will be one-on-one matches, with opponents chosen randomly by the screen above you. Now, the first two competitors will be chosen. If your name is not called, please move to the upper terraces to observe the battle." he instructed. The screen flashed to life above them, with the names of each of the Genin randomly shuffling upon it. Two names appeared on the screen, causing Naruto's breath to catch in his throat.

Uchiha Sasuke vs. Akado Yoroi.

"Looks like they wasted no time." Sasuke remarked as the other competitors left to the stands. Naruto and Sakura turned to their teammate before leaving.

"Don't overdo it, okay? We can't reveal our Jinchuriki powers just yet, so try not to use them unless you have to." Naruto said.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. No need to get all sentimental." Sasuke replied.

"What the?! Who's getting sentimental? I'm just warning you is all!" the blonde replied.

"Naruto, Sasuke, knock it off! Sasuke knows the dangers of revealing our powers, so stop scolding him. And stop pushing Naruto's buttons, Sasuke, since there's no need to antagonize him." Sakura said. Suddenly, Kakashi appeared next to his students, much to their surprise.

"C'mon you two, let Sasuke get ready for his match. You can talk afterwards." he said.

"Right, sorry. Good luck, Sasuke." Naruto said to his teammate, who just smirked and nodded. Kakashi raised an eyebrow at this. Normally, Naruto would just cuss out Sasuke in a vain attempt at trying to prove how he was far superior to the Uchiha in some way, shape or form. What had happened in the forest to bring about this sudden closeness?

"Kakashi-sensei, let's go! You're holding up the match!" Sakura called out for him.

"Oh, right." he said lazily, his tone belying his inner curiosity. _'Did Naruto maybe....no, he wouldn't do that. He's too nervous to reveal much about that to anyone unless they were like him. Then what made my team closer so suddenly?'_ he asked himself.

Sasuke and Yoroi stood across the stage from each other. The older man seemed quite confident going up against a kid, but the young Uchiha wasn't about to let him win. He noticed that the masked man was laughing to himself.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"I'm just thinking about how enjoyable sucking out your chakra will be." Yoroi replied. Suddenly, the man lunged forward, his hand glowing with chakra. Sasuke jumped back to dodge Yoroi's swipe, making hand seals in the air.

"Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" he called. Many small missiles of fire shot from his mouth and bombarded Yoroi into the ground. Smoke quickly blinded him, but his Sharingan allowed him to perceive images through it. He landed on the floor, cautious of his surroundings. Sensing a flare of chakra below him, he moved to the side to avoid Yoroi's emerging arm from the ground. However, his ankle was in his opponent's range, and he wasted no time in latching onto it.

Sasuke fell on his side, feeling his chakra slowly being drained from within him. He brought his other leg around and kicked his assailant in the jaw, forcing him to release his grip on his ankle. The ebony haired Uchiha hopped up from the ground, evading Yoroi's counterstrike. As his opponent righted himself and regained his bearings, Sasuke pondered his next move. _'This guy can drain my chakra if he latches onto me for too long a period of time. I need to end this fight quickly, but what techniques can I use that won't reveal my Jinchuriki powers?'_ he thought to himself. To be honest with himself, he wasn't too sure what those powers were, but it was best not to look conspicuous. He was waken from his thoughts by Yoroi's fist suddenly slamming into his gut. He flew across the room and landed on his back, his head slightly ringing from the impact.

"Don't let your guard down, kid!" Yoroi shouted as he went to grab Sasuke's head. The Uchiha ducked under his fist and grabbed his extended arm.

"I could say the same to you!" he retorted, flipping the masked man over his shoulder and onto the floor below. Yoroi howled in pain as Sasuke smirked triumphantly. A sudden burst of smoke surprised him, revealing that the Yoroi he had flipped was merely a clone. The real Yoroi latched his palm onto his head from above, knocking them both to the floor.

"Haha! You fell for the oldest trick in the book." he said. Sasuke tried to remove his arm from his head, but found his chakra to be depleting quickly.

"Sasuke, no!" Sakura called out.

"You better not lose this Sasuke or I'll kick your ass so hard your great-grandfather will feel it!" Naruto shouted in frustration. Sasuke suddenly shot his leg forward, kicking Yoroi straight in the gut. As his opponent doubled over in pain, he lifted himself from the ground while focusing his remaining chakra.

"You little brat....you'll pay for that!" the masked man exclaimed as he prepared to finish off his prey. _**'Boy, I know a quick way to finish this.'**_ Hachibi offered. _'I'm trying to keep a low profile, or have you forgotten?'_ Sasuke mentally replied, physically dodging his opponent's frantic strikes. _**'Just feint hand seals while you chant, alright?'**_ the dragon Bijuu replied. _'Chant? You mean you want me to use magic?'_ his container said. _**'Not the kind of magic you're thinking. I'll explain later, just repeat what I say.'**_ the dragon replied. Sasuke relented to his demon's suggestion. He began making hand signs as he spoke quietly under his breath.

"_O crimson rage, burn and incinerate my enemy with thy scorching heat..."_ he whispered breathlessly.

"What are you saying, brat? Speak up!" Yoroi demanded, confused as to the reason of his opponent's silent chanting.

"Flame Burst!" Sasuke called. Flames suddenly erupted from beneath Yoroi's feet, engulfing him in a small sphere of fire. He cried out in pain as the fierce heat seared his skin and burned away his clothes. He landed on the ground as the flames faded, burnt and defeated.

"The winner is Uchiha Sasuke!" the proctor announced. There was no need to check if Yoroi was unconscious: it was obvious to all in the room. Sarutobi, however, was uneasy. _'That move....that was a Mystic Art. Mystic Arts can only be used by Jinchuriki or those blessed by the spirits. Did Naruto and his friends discover the use of Mystic Arts so soon?'_ he thought. Sasuke returned to the balcony, where his two teammates and sensei were waiting for him.

"Alright, Sasuke! Way to go!" Naruto cheered.

"Great job Sasuke-kun! But, what was that fire technique? I don't think I've seen it before." Sakura said.

"It was something I just picked up." Sasuke replied, not fully understanding the power he tapped into. His teammates were appeased by his answer and dropped the subject.

"Now, let's see who's in the next match-up." Naruto said absentmindedly. As the names flashed upon the screen, he saw it was between Aburame Shino and Abumi Zaku. He remembered the boy who he fought back in the forest and hoped that Shino would kick his ass twice as hard for him. As the stoic boy passed him on the balcony, he stopped him for a minute.

"Shino, be careful against this guy. He's no ordinary Genin. Don't let your guard down for even a minute." he warned him. The Aburame boy nodded in response, continuing to travel down to the arena. Zaku seemed to be overjoyed that he was matched against him.

"Ah, it's you. Now I can get payback for what happened in the forest." he said.

"That was due to your own actions. I suggest you forfeit this match, if you value your life." Shino replied coldly.

"I was going to say the same thing to you! Prepare to die!" Zaku exclaimed, launching a large sound wave from the holes in his palms. The blast sent Shino careening into the wall behind him. Spiderweb cracks spread out from the crater his body made.

"Shino-kun!" Hinata called out, much to her sensei's surprise.

"Shino, you better not be...." Kiba couldn't bring himself to finish his sentence. Zaku smirked in triumph as his opponent's body began to fall from the crater.

"I guess you weren't as tough as you thought." he said. Just then, Shino's body dissolved into a mass of insects, shocking their target.

"What the-" his exclamation was cut off by Shino's fist slamming into the side of his face from behind.

"Never underestimate your opponent, no matter how weak they may seem." Shino said stoically as he called his insects over to him. He redirected them to Zaku's position, adding more to them to increase their strength. The Oto boy was engulfed in a cloud of bugs, his howl of pain going mostly uncared for. As soon as the insects retreated, he fell to the ground, unconscious from chakra drainage.

"The winner is Aburame Shino." the proctor announced.

"Phew....Shino, you scared us there for a minute." Kiba sighed.

"I'm glad Shino-kun is okay." Hinata remarked, breathing a sigh of relief. Kurenai was shocked at her sudden outgoingness, to say the least. What happened in that forest, anyway? She would have to press for details later.

"Shino, great job. Had us worried there for a second." the Inuzuka said to his oncoming teammate.

"Thanks. Just make sure you two do the same." he stated as he turned to see the next match-up. Kiba was ticked by his teammate's phlegmatic response, but let it slide. It was better not to start a fight here.

Sakura looked to the board as the names of the next two competitors flashed upon the screen. What it said shocked her to the core. Haruno Sakura vs. Yamanaka Ino. Her widen emerald eyes turned to the similar gaze of her blue-eyed ex-best friend. What were the chances of this happening? With this question in mind, she made her way to the arena, where Ino was waiting.

"Well....I didn't think I'd be fighting you here, Sakura." Ino said, slightly glaring at her. Sakura scoffed, something that made her raise an eyebrow in curiosity.

"I'm not the same little defenseless girl I used to be. If you think you can beat me, you're in for a rude awakening." she threatened. If looks could kill, Ino would've died of a heart-attack. The harshness of her glare was comparable to that of Uchiha Sasuke.

"Are we just gonna glare at each other all day or do this?" she asked, grabbing a handful of kunai.

"Bring it on." Sakura replied, bringing out her own volley of shuriken. As the blonde threw the knives at her, she leaped into the air and rained the metal stars down from above. Ino jumped back in quick retaliation, unaware of the trap her opponent had set.

"You fell for it." she said as she made a hand sign. Suddenly, the shuriken that littered the ground detonated in a fiery explosion that sent Ino flying across the floor. As the blonde righted herself, she was caught off-guard by Sakura's aerial kick. She was knocked to the ground again, unable to catch herself in time.

"So Ino, do you think you can beat me now?" she asked smugly, smirking in victory.

"When did Sakura get so strong?" Ino asked herself aloud. She wiped her lower lip with the back of her hand, her glare intensifying.

"That's it, it is so on!" she exclaimed, charging forward with a punch ready. Sakura sidestepped her attack, grabbing her by the arm. With a mighty thrust, she tossed Ino over her shoulder and into the air as if she was paper.

"Man, Sakura is wiping the floor with her." Naruto said in awe at his teammate's strength.

"This is a grudge match, so I'm not too surprised." Sasuke replied. The blonde raised an eyebrow in response.

"A grudge match? How do you know?" he asked. The Uchiha averted his eyes from his friend as he replied.

"While Sakura and I trained together, she told me about her rivalry with Ino. This is a match to prove which of them is the better kunoichi – in both battle and love." he said. Naruto looked back to the battle with renewed vigor, waiting to see if his teammate would emerge victorious.

Ino was once again tossed back by her rival, unable to land a solid blow on her. This was becoming incredibly taxing for her, while Sakura was barely breaking a sweat! There was no way in hell that she wanted to lose to her of all people!

"Sakura......I will not lose to you! I refuse to be beaten by you! I swear I will defeat you and prove who the best of us really is!" she exclaimed in anger. Just as Sakura was about to refute her claim, she felt a large spike of chakra in the air. She soon found the source to be Ino.

"I-Ino, what are-" she was cut off by the explosion of yellow chakra that emerged from her opponent's body. The shock waves were so powerful that they began to crack the walls. The pink haired kunoichi was flung back by the force of the chakra, landing on her back a good few meters away from her original spot.

"**SHICHIBI!"** an angry shout resonated through the room, the yellow chakra becoming stronger.

"What in the world is going on here?!" Asuma asked out of concern for his student. Naruto and Sasuke looked at each other in a state of shock.

"Does this mean that Ino is a Jinchuriki?" Sasuke asked. Suddenly, Rika appeared next to them.

"Guys, I think that girl is a Jinchuriki too! But her powers are going out of control! She'll need to be knocked unconscious for things to settle down!" she reported.

"Ah man, and Sakura's fighting whatever demon she has! This isn't good." Naruto remarked.

Sakura charged at her ex-best friend, ready with a punch of demonic chakra. However, the yellow chakra from before formed a shield around Ino's body, blocking her attack. She leaped away from her target, dodging a ray of light threatening to impale her.

"Ino, come back to your senses! This isn't like you!" she pleaded.

"**That's because Ino isn't here right now."** a deeper voice replied. Suddenly, a burst of light erupted from the blonde's hand, hitting Sakura and knocking her into the ground.

"Sakura, be careful!" Sasuke warned her. She looked up to him for an explanation.

"She's possessed! You need to knock her unconscious in order to save her!" he continued. She nodded in response before turning to her opponent.

"So, which one of the tailed beasts are you? You obviously know which one I am." she asked her.

"**I am the Guardian Spirit of Light, Hibi. Did you honestly forget your betrayal, Shichibi? How you allowed our once-strong friendship to deteriorate and wither away? I will never forgive you for what you've done. Now, perish!"** she said. In shock, Sakura took a step back from her. She couldn't tell if she was speaking of her own conscious or of Ino's. Several tendrils of light flew through the air, wanting to thrush themselves through their target. Sakura knew she had to think fast. If she didn't do something soon, then not only would she end up dead, but Ino would be possessed by Hibi far longer than her soul could handle. If that happened, then she would effectively die. She had to stop this. _'Shichibi, please, lend me your power. Help me right a wrong of the past.'_ she mentally pleaded as the tendrils crashed down upon her. Dust covered the entire area, leaving no visual as to what happened.

"Sakura!" Naruto shouted out of concern. Sasuke looked on in disbelief.

"Impossible." he muttered. Suddenly, something sprung up from within the dust cloud, rising into the air. As the last of the smoke dissipated, it was revealed to be Sakura, her pink chakra wings unfurled for all to see, completely unharmed. Hibi grit her teeth in frustration.

"**Why are you so hard to kill?"** she asked herself. Kakashi was in shock at seeing his female student able to fly, as were quite a number of other people who knew her.

As he watched, Arashi couldn't help but smirk. _'So, this is the power of Shichibi? This would've made that fight in the forest that much more interesting.'_ he thought.

"Ino, don't worry, I'll save you." Sakura said to herself as she dove for the possessed girl. Hibi glared at the oncoming kunoichi, firing several bolts of light to deter her target.

"**Die!"** she shouted at the bolts flew towards their target. Sakura closed her eyes and called upon more of Shichibi's demonic power. When she reopened them, they were not longer the emerald green they were famous for. Now, they were a dark, almost seductive, shade of pink.

"Demonic Art: Phoenix Missile!" she called. She began to rotate rapidly, building speed until she nothing but a blur. She then ignited, becoming a spiraling spear of flames. The bolts were shattered upon contact, unable to penetrate the flaming shield.

"**I-Impossible! This can't be-"** Hibi never finished the statement, as Sakura crashed into her with tremendous force. The impact held the force of a 4.0 earthquake, forcing onlookers to grab hold of the railing to keep from falling over.

"Oh my God." Shikamaru said in shock. As the smoke once again cleared, the two girls were standing across from each other, both looking worse for ware. Hibi was barely able to stand, while Sakura was breathing heavily from the effort it took for her last attack.

"**I.....I never thought....that I'd lose to.....you."** Hibi said exhaustedly.

"You were right....to be mad at me....but I guess....it was a simple misunderstanding." Sakura replied, just as breathless.

"**I guess.....it was.....sorry. I was...so foolish.....now, please....let me sleep."** she said before collapsing to the ground in a heap.

"Ino......I'm so sorry." Sakura said apologetically to her sleeping friend.

"The winner is Haruno Sakura!" the proctor announced. As the paramedics came to take Ino to the infirmary, Sakura stopped them.

"Wait a minute. If it's no trouble, may I accompany you? There is something I must speak with her about once she wakes." she said, a tone of regret in her voice.

"Well, as long as you don't get in the way, there shouldn't be a problem." one of the medics replied.

"Thank you." Sakura said, smiling.

Sasuke, Rika and Naruto watched the paramedics walk away with Ino and Sakura in tow. He had to admit, that was an impressive match. Even when Sakura was forced to fight Hibi, she was able to pull through with little difficulty. That last attack of hers was an incredible sight to behold.

"Do you think they'll be okay?" Naruto asked.

"Well, I'm not an expert, but judging from the wounds they took, I think they'll be fine in the long run." Rika guessed. The proctor's coughing brought their attention to him.

"Now, for the fourth match, please look to the screen." he instructed. They did so, and watched as two new names came upon it. Mokushi Taiyou vs. Arame Kegume.

"Taiyou? Isn't he an old friend of yours?" Sasuke asked Naruto.

"Yeah, he is. He's no pushover, but I hope he watches himself against this guy. He's one of the Sound Genin that tried to kill us in the forest." he replied.

"They tried to kill you? What did you do to provoke them?" Kakashi asked.

"I didn't provoke anything. They were assassins sent by a certain someone to eliminate us. Thankfully, Rika, Takato, Takuya and Hinata came at the right time." Naruto explained.

"Why are you always so quick to assume that Naruto did something wrong, anyway? Can't you give him the benefit of the doubt?" Sasuke asked his sensei.

"That's quite a statement, coming from you Sasuke. Pray tell, exactly what happened in that forest anyway?" Kakashi asked, reflecting the question back to his students.

"Guys, the next match is starting! Let's talk about it later and just see how things turn out." Rika said, silencing the conversation.

Kegume couldn't help but laugh at the sight of his opponent. This little kid was going to fight him? Ridiculous! This couldn't be much easier! Ah well, might as well get the best from it.

"You really think a little kid like you can beat me?" he taunted him. Taiyou rolled his eyes at this.

"Yeah, yeah, enough with the witty banter, let's just do this already." he said nonchalantly as if it was no big deal. That immediately ticked Kegume off. Who was this kid to act so high and mighty? He would just have to put him in his place.

"What was that you little twerp?!" he shouted as he charged at him in rage. Taiyou couldn't help but smirk. This guy really _was_ as dumb as he looked. Goading him into attacking blindly was way too easy. As Kegume's fist passed through the air where his head used to be, Taiyou swept him off his feet with a sideswipe kick, then slammed his foot into the descending Kegume's stomach, knocking him across the room.

"Didn't you learn from you buddy's mistake? Never underestimate your opponent." the blue haired boy said mockingly. Kegume stood up, clutching his now-aching gullet.

"Ow......damn, this kid is stronger than he looks." he said to himself.

"If all you have going for you is just power, then I'm afraid you'll never beat me." Taiyou said in a demeaning tone. This ticked off Kegume once more.

"Shut up! What do you know? You're just some snot-nosed little punk who thinks he's a ninja! I'll show how being a ninja really works!" he said, preparing his attack. He charged chakra in his fist, readying to thrust it forward.

"Sonic Thrust!" he called. A wave of chakra rushed towards Taiyou, who simply jumped to the side. Suddenly, Kegume erupted from the ground below and caught him in a headlock.

"What the? How did you.." Taiyou's question was answered when the 'Kegume' he was fighting disappeared in a puff of smoke. That's when Taiyou realized what happened. _'I was fighting a clone the whole time! He just made it seem like he was easily tricked to get my guard down. Then he fired off that jutsu to lead me straight into his trap. This guy is quite a tactician.'_ he thought.

"What were you saying before about how power alone won't let me beat you? Let me tell you something, kid, if you don't have power in this world you're nothing. I'm not gonna be a nobody, so I'm looking to get all the power I can. Power is the only thing that matters in the world." Kegume said triumphantly. As Taiyou struggled to break free of his grasp, he couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

"You truly believe that? What a blinded fool you are. If power is the only thing you seek in life, then it is wasted. If you don't know what truly matters in this world, then you'll never have it. It's pitiful in a way." he remarked. He felt the grip on him tighten as the air rushed out of his lungs.

"Real smart to insult the guy who's letting you live on a whim right now." the Sound Genin replied as he began to squeeze harder. Taiyou felt the life drain out of him as his vision began to fade. _'Natoyo.....Aki.....I'm sorry.'_ he thought.

"Taiyou! Don't give up!" a familiar voice shouted. He managed to look up and see Naruto calling to him.

"Don't let this guy beat you now! You've come so far! What about becoming the head of the Mokushi Clan? Have you abandoned your dream, your goal? You can't give up now!" he shouted. Kegume scoffed at the blonde's preaching.

"What an idiot. He may be strong, but he has no idea what he's talking about." he said, turning back to his victim. He raised an eyebrow in confusion. Taiyou's expression was unreadable, his hair casting a shadow over his eyes. _'Naruto......thank you.'_ he thought. He looked up at his opponent, a fierce glare of determination in his features. What startled Kegume the most, however, was the color of his eyes. Instead of their previous green, they were now a light amber in hue.

"**I refuse to be beaten by the likes of you. I hope you're prepared to lose!"** he shouted. Kegume was blown back by a burst of chakra that erupted from him.

"What the hell!? There's another one?" he asked as the amber colored chakra condensed itself around its owner. Orange flames erupted from his hand, twirling in his palm as he prepared his attack.

"**Demonic Art: Solar Sphere!"** he called. He charged forward and drove the sphere straight into Kegume's gut. A explosion of fire followed, with the unconscious Sound Genin blown into the wall behind him.

The amber chakra died down, his eyes returning to their natural green shade. Taiyou fell to one knee, breathing heavily. That took a lot more out of him than he thought it would. His thoughts traveled to the strange power he had just tapped into. What in God's name was that? It was like someone else was lending him strength, but what could that mean? He noticed Naruto's shocked expression, as well as that of Sasuke and the girl with them. Maybe they knew something about it. He'd have to ask later.

"The winner is Mokushi Taiyou." the proctor announced after making sure Kegume was out cold. The blue haired boy returned to his teammate as the medics took the Sound boy to the infirmary.

"Taiyou, are you okay? You're not too hurt, are you?" Natoyo asked worriedly. He shook his head.

"I'm okay, just a little winded." he replied.

"Dude, that was amazing! Since when could you do that?" Aki asked.

"To be honest, I really don't know." Taiyou replied. Aoba looked at his student in slight surprise._ 'So, he's a Jinchuriki as well? There is something going on here that I think Naruto knows about. Sasuke and Sakura too, and I think maybe Hinata-sama judging from her reactions. I'll have to ask the Hokage later.'_ he thought.

(Meanwhile: Infirmary)

Ino's eyes blinked open, wiping the sleep from her light blue orbs. She sat up in her bed, her head slightly pounding. She took a beating, she knew that, but after a certain point in the match she couldn't remember much. Seeing as she was in the infirmary, she knew she lost.

"Ino, are you – oh, you are awake." she heard someone say. She turned her head to see Sakura standing there, a concerned look on her face.

"Sakura? What are you doing here? Did you come to gloat?" she asked scornfully. The pink haired kunoichi didn't response, merely locking the door behind her. She then proceeded to close the windows to prevent anyone from eavesdropping. Ino was alarmed by the girl's sudden seriousness. There was something going on here, something important. Something secret. Sakura sat down in the chair next to her bed, a severe expression on her face.

"Ino, we need to talk."


End file.
